A Day at the New York Botanical Garden

On Sunday I went with two friends to the NY Botanical Garden in the Bronx. We planned to sketch but there were several things going on there. First there was an exhibit of impressionist paintings, then an impressionist garden, and a Plein Air Invitational Paint Out. Several artists whose blogs I follow were going to be there and I was hoping to see them.

After viewing the impressionist paintings in the library we walked and found several of the plein air artists. I talked to a few and then found a spot along the Bronx River where there was some shade.

Then I moved over by the rose garden and painted the view looking in through on of the gates.

Someone told us that James Gurney (http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.ca) was a little further up the hill so we went to check. Not only was he there but Shari Blaukopf too (https://shariblaukopf.com). Shari gave a workshop in NY recently and I would have loved to take it but I couldn't work it out. We spent most of the rest of the day watching both of them paint. They were so gracious and informative too. They were right next to each other and we kept going back and forth to watch.

Here is the piece that James Gurney was working on. He had two models in period costume posing for him.

James Gurney at work.

Shari Blaukopf with her first painting done earlier in the day.

Shari painting flowers in the garden.

The models that posed for James.

Left to right: James Gurney, Me, Suzala, Arthur, Shari Blaukopf

The day was also filled with lots of beautiful flowers. Here are a few.