Botanical illustration is a powerful tool for understanding nature’s design. For people curious about nature, it can be a very peaceful and rewarding way to explore the world around them. When done outdoors, botanical illustration can also be a very healthy exercise! If you’re curious about the joy of drawing outdoors, join Preston Montague at the JCRA for a full-day workshop using the arboretum as a studio. Designed with the beginner in mind, but open to all skill levels, Preston will introduce techniques he uses to create professional illustrations. Participants will explore pencil, pen, and colored pencil, as well as a drawing process designed to create simple, lush illustrations while enjoying the outdoors.

Supplies will be provided by the instructor, but participants are asked to bring a clipboard and a small folding chair or blanket for sitting in the garden, and encouraged to bring their own pencils, pens, colored pencils, and sketchbooks. Hats, water bottles, and light jackets are always a good idea too.

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About Preston Montague

Preston Montague is an artist, educator, and landscape designer who developed a passion for the natural world while growing up in the rural foothills of Virginia. Currently, he lives in Durham, North Carolina, working on projects that encourage stronger relationships between people and their environment. His latest body of work, Codex Carolinum, is a series of didactic botanical illustrations using art and storytelling to foster natural science literacy.

Cost: $120.00 for members, $150.00 for nonmembers.

Registration: Advance registration is required. Please register online using our registration e-store. Registration is limited to 12 people and is considered complete when payment is received.

Cancellation: Program cancellations can be made up to two weeks before the program’s start date. A 15% cancellation fee applies.