Banner art, above, was designed by Alice Fredericy, using art created by OBA members.
We welcome and support artists of all levels of skill and knowledge, as well as supporters of botanical art and those who celebrate the importance of plants in the world.
OBA Artist Spotlight: Janet Parker Dogwood (c) Janet Parker
Janet Parker has worked as an editorial art director and graphic designer since 1987. She worked for several magazines in New York over 23 years there, including Time, Newsweek, Art & Antiques, and Premiere. Ultimately, she moved to book design at Workman Publishing and later Tin House in Portland. She earned a BFA from Parsons School of Design and a certificate in Botanical Art at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). She has taught classes in botanical drawing in and around Portland since 2013.
After attending her first annual conference of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) in 2012, she returned to Portland, eager to find “her people” (other botanical artists living in the Portland area). That same year, she and four other local members of ASBA formed an Artists’ Circle that has now grown to more than 50 members and celebrates its 12th year in 2024. Janene Walkky, Jane Levy Campbell, Laurie Griff, Gina Anzaldo, and Janet Parker are the original founders.  Maple Leaf (c) Janet Parker
OBA: You've had a long career in the arts. Did you always have a love of drawing? What did you study in art classes at the University of Kansas?
Janet: Like so many artists, yes, I've always loved drawing. All I ever wanted to be was a fine artist -- a painter in particular. But, I only completed 3 semesters at the University of Kansas. There, I studied life drawing, etching, lithography, painting, and art history before leaving school to move with friends to New Orleans, where I stayed for the next 11 years. OBA: You studied watercolor in New Orleans. Didn’t you take a workshop in New York with the renowned designer Milton Glaser, when you lived in New Orleans? Janet: I had no idea how I would ever be able to make a living as an artist, and couldn’t really even afford school at that time. I had a series of menial jobs and was pretty rudderless for a while. Ultimately, I started taking painting and drawing classes again in my spare time, and got a job working in the advertising department of K&B Drugstores, having started working as a cashier in one of their drugstores. Looking back now, K&B was almost like a divine intervention in my life, though it certainly didn’t feel like that at the time. Sydney Besthoff, the owner of the company was a serious patron of the arts, ultimately the most avid art collector in the city. Their headquarters at Lee Circle was a beautifully designed building with an enormous plaza featuring a monumental water sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. During the eight years I worked in that building, the plaza became filled with contemporary sculpture by world-famous artists, and the interior offices and public spaces featured works by local, regional, and internationally known painters and sculptors. My surroundings were an art education in itself -- also something I didn’t fully appreciate at the time. An old friend from KU contacted me in the early 1980’s and we decided to try to take a graphic design workshop together in NYC taught by Milton Glaser. I was accepted, but my friend had to back out due to an illness in the family. Gulp. I was going to New York by myself and I was filled with anxiety. That week in New York completely changed my life. OBA: You ultimately completed a BFA at Parsons School of Design in 1989. New York had a vibrant art scene in the 1980s. Did you find yourself connected with that art world? Janet: I moved to New York in 1986, having decided to go back to school to finish my BFA there. I was 10 years older than the typical Parsons student at that time -- the Rodney Dangerfield of Parsons! And I always had jobs while in school. Honestly what little I knew of the fine art scene at the time, was kind of a blur. But I did get to meet some art heroes of mine during that time! OBA: After years of art direction and design for books and magazines, including work at the famous WBMG studio of Walter Bernard and Milton Glaser, you now focus on drawing and painting, particularly botanical art. How did you become interested in the NYBG Certificate program? Janet: Over lunch with a friend who I had worked with at Time Magazine, we discovered we both had an interest in the classes being offered at the New York Botanical Garden. They hosted an open house around that time, and we took the train up there to check it out together. One thing we learned is that the garden had satellite campuses outside of the Bronx, and one of those was at Cooper Union, near NYU, and a block away from Workman Publishing where I was working at the time. I started the class thinking it would just be something to pass the time for a while. Wendy Hollender taught the second class I took there and several classes following that one. After about the 4th or 5th class I was absolutely hooked. OBA: You’ve had much lovely botanical work in galleries and exhibitions. Your website shows that you are also interested in pastels and subject matter other than plants. Do you plan to continue exploring media and subjects beyond botanical illustration? Janet: Thanks, I do. In fact, I’m currently taking an online class in abstract painting. But I’m still drawing and painting botanical subjects and I don’t expect to ever get tired of studying botanical and other natural science subjects. I also continue to do freelance book design and consulting. OBA: Recently, you stepped back into the role of president for OBA. What is your vision for the group during the next few years? Do you have any plans to teach future workshops or classes?  Phantom Orchid (c) Janet Parker
Janet: Our group went through some profound changes in the past few years, transitioning OBA from an unincorporated social group to a 501c3 non-profit foundation. Our focus on this important transition diverted attention from our group’s original practice of essentially, gathering together to draw, paint, and share with other botanical artists. Now I feel that the group is ready for a more relaxed “agenda," with more focus on get-togethers, field trips, sketchbook-sharing, etc.
We do have a large project ahead. We will be the premier exhibitor at the Lakewood Festival of the Arts in June, 2026, with a show focused on the importance of Food Crop Diversity. We’re still working on the title for that exhibit. And re: teaching, yes! I'm hoping to get back to some teaching early in the new year. OBA: Thank you for taking us along the trajectory of your impressive career! We will enjoy following the next steps of your art journey. Janet Parker is represented at the Portland Art Museum Rental Sales Gallery. apps.portlandartmuseum.org/rentalsalesgallery/artists/Janet-Parker/ Her website is: www.janetparker-art-design.com |
Upcoming Educational Opportunities and Member Exhibitions:
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L I N K S
American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI) ArtPlantae Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation Pacific NW Botanical Artists (PNBA) Native Plant Society of Oregon Hardy Plant Society of Oregon The Hoyt Arboretum The Audubon Society of Portland Tryon Creek Nature Center Leach Botanical Garden The Oregon Garden Portland Japanese Garden Portland Chinese Garden Fibonacci YouTube video Bosky Dell Native Plant Nursery |
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