Wednesday, August 7

Illustrated Botanical Books in Spencer Research Library with Karen Severud Cook
(Lecture/Hands-On Presentation, 8:00-10:00 AM, General)

Karen S. Cook will cover the historical development of botanical illustration and the graphic arts techniques employed. This presentation will allow a special look at a display of manuscript and printed botanical books ranging from medieval to modern. The books will be selected from Spencer Research Library's extensive holdings of natural history books, especially its Ellis and Fitzpatrick Collections. Participants will be allowed time to sketch or study the materials on display, and particular materials can be requested for viewing.
After an undergraduate major in Art History and graduate study in Geography, Karen S. Cook worked as a cartographer for several decades. On the side, she has researched and published works on the history of maps, especially design, production and reproduction techniques. A move to England in the 1980s brought the chance to work in the British Library Map Library, and she became a librarian. While living in England, she also studied botanical illustration, studying with Christabel King and Ann Farrer, who both work for the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. After returning to the U.S. a decade later, she completed a MLS degree and joined the Spencer Research Library staff last year. Karen is a returning GNSI member.

The Soul of Sketchbooks with Kristine Kirkeby
(Lecture/Discussion, 10:15 AM-12:15 PM, General)

Natural science illustrators often find themselves working in isolated environments of studios or small staffing groups. Yet at meetings, illustrators come together and share an incredible amount of information in a short period of time-and this sharing process is filled with magic. This session explores the process of sketching as a shared experience. A sketch can be a part of a formal project or can be a private drawing. It is a more personal, spontaneous, and often favorite part of a scientific illustration project, or a 'being-in-the-zone' time spent with sketchbook or drawing journals. An illustrator's connection to the drawn subject is closest during this process. Sharing sketchbook entries reveals soul-searching or more expressive times of the illustrator's process. During the discussion period, a wide range of opinions of what sketchbooks are or should do will be explored. Participants will provide Kris with images photocopied from their sketchbooks or drawing journals. They will have answered questions about the nature of the sketching process - what it does for them, how sketches are different than finished work, how the images or process moves the creator. The second half of the workshop will be an open discussion about creating this special type of work.
Kristine Kirkeby is a freelance natural science illustrator, educated in biology and fine arts. She has worked in scientific research as a histologist. Combining this background, she served as illustrator, graphic designer, photographer, and Director of Biological Sciences Art Service at the University of Minnesota for fourteen years before beginning a freelance career. More recently she also teaches a multidisciplinary art and science curriculum for students ages 4-84. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.

Entomology Collections at KU: A Guided Tour with Tips for Illustrators with Robert Brooks and Elaine Hodges
(Lecture/Demonstration, 1:15-3:15 PM, General)

This session will serve two functions by familiarizing participants with the collections at the University of Kansas and then discussing entomological illustration. The Snow Museum of the KU Museum of Natural History is now estimated to contain approximately 4,000,000 pinned and labeled specimens. Much of the Museum's holdings comprise a good general representation of North American insects in all orders. The collection is particularly outstanding, however, in insect groups intensively studied by curators and others long associated with the Museum, who through their own field work or through exchanges and purchases, assembled specialized collections according to their individual interests. The following are especially noteworthy parts of the Museum: Apoidea (bees), Mecoptera (scorpion flies), Staphylinidae (rove beetles), Tipulidae (crane flies),and Aquatic Hemiptera (water bugs). Dr. Brooks will share some of the highlights of the collections, including the entertaining "Oh My" specimens. Elaine R. S. Hodges will then discuss highlights of presenting insect anatomy, handling of specimens, and methods to achieve accuracy. She will give examples of techniques, styles, and areas of work. Robert and Elaine will give time during an open session for questions and discussion, sketching, and perusing of the collections.
Robert W. Brooks is the Collections Manager for the Snow Entomological Museum. Dr. Brooks received his B.S. (cum laude) in Zoology from the University of California at Davis in 1975 and his M.S. in Entomology (also at UC Davis) in 1979. In 1986, he completed his Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Kansas under Dr. Charles D. Michener. In the course of his career, he has traveled extensively throughout Mexico, Latin and South America. Recently, he published a book entitled "The Bees of Madagascar," the fruit of many years of hard work. Besides his duties as collections manager, he finds time to collect and name new species, organize field expeditions, and review journal submissions. Dr. Brooks illustrates his own journal contributions.
Elaine Hodges' thirty-seven years of experience include work as contract and freelance scientific illustrator for the Smithsonian, 1965-1976; and Scientific Illustrator, Dept. of Entomology, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1976-1996. She has experience with freelance portraiture, general illustration, and painting. Her specialty is invertebrate illustration, and she is self-taught in techniques but has had mentors and GNSI workshops to provide guidance. Please see her previous biography and the workshop biography for a more complete listing of Elaine's many accomplishments!

Thursday, August 8

Painting Small Animals with Nancy Halliday
(Full-Day Workshop, Intermediate)

In this workshop, participants will learn the anatomy of mammals and how bone and muscle structure affect surface highlights and shadows. Students will be taught the use of reference materials and will learn color mixing and how to render fur and other external features of mammals in color. Nancy will show slides and present original paintings. Mounted skeletons, museum study skins, and taxidermic mounts will be available from KU Natural History Museum's Mammalogy Division, and live study specimens may be available. Participants will develop a sketch, do a value sketch, transfer drawing to watercolor paper, and finish a painting.
Nancy Halliday has worked for almost 50 years as a museum artist for both scientific publications and educational exhibits, and she has taught scientific illustration since 1977. She is the Artist-Naturalist for Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Illinois. Nancy has just completed twelve watercolor plates for the Field Guide to North American Mammals by Wilson and Kays. Her awards and accomplishments include first prize recipient for color category, GNSI Exhibition at Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1979, and she won second prize in watercolor at the National Wildlife Federation Exhibition, Vienna, Virginia, in 1983.
Her guild accomplishments include authoring the bird illustration chapter in the GNSI Handbook of Scientific Illustration, and GNSI Historian since 1995.

Painting with Carbon Dust with Elaine R.S. Hodges
(Full-Day Workshop, Beginner to Intermediate)

This workshop will introduce the technique of carbon dust painting, which creates smooth, almost luminous layers of tone. A brief history of the technique will be followed by a description and demonstration. The carbon dust technique consists of layering graphite dust and then rendering details using various methods. Participants will work on carbon dust illustrations of previously rendered preliminary sketches of their own to learn carbon dust and graphite rendering techniques.
Elaine Hodges' 37 years experience include freelance portraiture, general illustration, and painting from 1962-1965. She then began working with the Smithsonian Institution, eventually assuming the position of illustrator for the Department of Entomology at the National Museum of Natural History from 1976-1996. In her supposed retirement, she continues to freelance through Hodges Scientific Illustration. Her specialty is invertebrate illustration, and she is self-taught but has had mentors and GNSI workshops to provide guidance. Elaine helped found GNSI in 1968, was the first Newsletter Editor (outgrowth of being first corresponding secretary); Vice President 1975-77; President 1977-79; Member Executive Committee 1979-81; Distinguished Service Award, GNSI, 1995. She has assorted exhibit awards, including Certificate for Merit, Society of Illustrators 1981, and is listed in Who's Who in American Art. Her well-rounded career and interests include presidency and other offices in scientific and political groups; studies in English, art, science at five colleges/universities; and membership in the League of Women Voters and assorted environmental and political groups.

Friday, August 9

Educating Our Young Natural Science Illustrators with Kristine Kirkeby
(Full-Day Workshop, General)

Natural science illustrators are uniquely equipped to teach both art and science. Kris uses her experience in the school systems (an average of 16 schools and 5,000 students per school year) to present her ideas of how to educate our young future natural science illustrators or spark the interest of young nature lovers to artistic approaches. Kris will present a hands-on workshop that will encourage and equip participants to start teaching natural science illustration in the K-12 school system. Many schools are not hiring art educators but all teach science. Her multidisciplinary approach helps the educators she works with teach both art and science in one lesson. The workshop will include some basics on how to market this idea to schools, how construct a curriculum that excites teachers, and how to design a durable traveling teaching collection. A specific drawing technique will be discussed that teaches improved observation skills and aids assessment- the buzzword for new approaches. Kris will provide 'outside-the-box' thinking projects to aid in focusing and exciting young participants while solving difficult aspects of teaching method.
Kristine Kirkeby is a freelance natural science illustrator, educated in biology and fine arts. She has worked in scientific research as a histologist. Combining this background, she served as illustrator, graphic designer, photographer, and Director of Biological Sciences Art Service at the University of Minnesota for fourteen years before beginning a freelance career. More recently she also teaches a multidisciplinary art and science curriculum for students ages 4-84. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.

Watercolor Methods with John Cody
(Full-Day Workshop, General)

This workshop is designed to help participants improve as watercolorists. Special patterning techniques through use of salt and plastic wrap will be demonstrated. John will also discuss ways of achieving soft edges and eliminating patchiness in paintings, and he will demonstrate ways of making corrections.
John Cody trained in medical art at Johns Hopkins and worked as medical illustrator for five years at University of Arkansas Medical Center. For many years, John served as Executive Director of the High Plains Mental Health Center in Hays, Kansas. His many decades of artistic experience include works ensuing from a lifelong interest in raising and painting Saturniid Moths. John claims that he is currently retired. John received the Governor's Arts Award in 1997 for Individual Artist Lifetime Achievement Award in the State of Kansas.