Mission Statement
Oregon Botanical Artists mission is to promote awareness of contemporary botanical art, honoring its traditions and furthering the development of local botanical artists.
About OBA
Oregon Botanical Artists promotes a thriving, diverse community of artists dedicated to perpetuating the contemporary practice of botanical art, as well as honoring its traditions. We strive to illustrate the diversity of plant life, as well as bring attention to those species and ecosystems which are imperiled.
Our monthly meetings provide camaraderie as we discuss our latest botanical art projects and practices. We also provide opportunities for workshops and field trips for our members. We sponsor both juried and non-juried botanical art shows. Our members are involved in a wide range of artistic endeavors, including teaching botanical art and involvement with the larger artistic community. We welcome artists with a wide range of knowledge, creative and technical skills, as well as botanical art appreciators, and those who celebrate the importance of plants in the world. Oregon Botanical Artists was established in 2012 and is associated with the American Society of Botanical Artists as an Artists Circle. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
History of OBA
On November 17, 2012, a small group of artists gathered together at Meriwether’s Restaurant with a shared desire to form an ASBA Artists’ Circle in Oregon. All were local members of ASBA who desired the camaraderie gained through gathering with other artists with similar goals and passions.
In the beginning, we met to share our work and to draw together. Each new member brought their own personality and approach to the study of botanical art which was wonderful to observe. Over time, we gained the confidence to pursue larger dreams and goals and make plans. We sponsored numerous workshops by talented teaching artists who came from near and far and generously shared their amazing skills with us. All of this nourished us as artists and inspired us to do more.
We produced numerous group shows highlighting the talents of our members. Some shows were modest in size but we have also produced several ambitious juried shows. These are In the Footsteps of David Douglas at the Bush Barn Gallery in Salem, Mums and More at the Lan Su Chinese Garden and Wild Treasures at the Oregon Society of Artists, both in Portland.
We began a sketchbook exchange within our membership in 2016 and are now in our fourth round. It has enriched both the participants and the observers of the efforts of this dedicated, although fluctuating, group. We have discovered this is a wonderful place to be spontaneous and playful as we interact with the drawings of the other participants.
In 2018 we began to produce an annual group project. Participating members created drawings which were combined to create a product which changed form each year. We have produced a beautiful tote bag, an illustrated alphabet journal, and the creation of a berry themed fabric available by the yard and as a scarf. This year, we will produce a native plant jigsaw puzzle. We don’t create these as income revenue but only to delight our members.
Over the years, our organization has grown from 5 individuals to a current membership of over 50 artists and botanical enthusiasts from Oregon and Washington. We have accomplished many things and hope to tackle many more while we continue to gather together to share our work, to draw together and make more plans.
October 2021
Our monthly meetings provide camaraderie as we discuss our latest botanical art projects and practices. We also provide opportunities for workshops and field trips for our members. We sponsor both juried and non-juried botanical art shows. Our members are involved in a wide range of artistic endeavors, including teaching botanical art and involvement with the larger artistic community. We welcome artists with a wide range of knowledge, creative and technical skills, as well as botanical art appreciators, and those who celebrate the importance of plants in the world. Oregon Botanical Artists was established in 2012 and is associated with the American Society of Botanical Artists as an Artists Circle. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
History of OBA
On November 17, 2012, a small group of artists gathered together at Meriwether’s Restaurant with a shared desire to form an ASBA Artists’ Circle in Oregon. All were local members of ASBA who desired the camaraderie gained through gathering with other artists with similar goals and passions.
In the beginning, we met to share our work and to draw together. Each new member brought their own personality and approach to the study of botanical art which was wonderful to observe. Over time, we gained the confidence to pursue larger dreams and goals and make plans. We sponsored numerous workshops by talented teaching artists who came from near and far and generously shared their amazing skills with us. All of this nourished us as artists and inspired us to do more.
We produced numerous group shows highlighting the talents of our members. Some shows were modest in size but we have also produced several ambitious juried shows. These are In the Footsteps of David Douglas at the Bush Barn Gallery in Salem, Mums and More at the Lan Su Chinese Garden and Wild Treasures at the Oregon Society of Artists, both in Portland.
We began a sketchbook exchange within our membership in 2016 and are now in our fourth round. It has enriched both the participants and the observers of the efforts of this dedicated, although fluctuating, group. We have discovered this is a wonderful place to be spontaneous and playful as we interact with the drawings of the other participants.
In 2018 we began to produce an annual group project. Participating members created drawings which were combined to create a product which changed form each year. We have produced a beautiful tote bag, an illustrated alphabet journal, and the creation of a berry themed fabric available by the yard and as a scarf. This year, we will produce a native plant jigsaw puzzle. We don’t create these as income revenue but only to delight our members.
Over the years, our organization has grown from 5 individuals to a current membership of over 50 artists and botanical enthusiasts from Oregon and Washington. We have accomplished many things and hope to tackle many more while we continue to gather together to share our work, to draw together and make more plans.
October 2021