June SIDP Newsletter
Living Landscapes I'm on a local committee, "Living Landscapes", designed to help educate homeowners who are interested in supporting pollinators and other wildlife. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation publishes a blog covering useful articles on when to clean up your garden in spring and when to let it "go" a little longer before raking and mowing. They also have helpful articles on reducing sterile grass lawns and incorporating more "living landscapes". My Connecticut College botany professor, and renowned environmentalist, Dr. William Niering, fostered this awareness in all his students, and for that, I, and all my favorite little critters, are grateful. Take a look at the Xerces website.
News
The SIDP is moving to a new schedule. Beginning January, 2024 (SIDP's 10th birthday!), foundation courses will be offered as follows: Session I, Foundations in Graphite: September-November Session II, Pen and Ink: January-March Session III, Color and Composition: March-May Session IV, Internships/Independent Studies: year round This schedule allows additional courses and workshops to be offered during the year. Look for Drawing Using Procreate again in January. *Sessions I (Foundations in Graphite) and III (Color and Composition) will still be offered this September.
Exhibitions "Looking Closely" I am exhibiting natural science illustrations at Galerie le Domaine from May 18-July 8, 2023 173 Waterman Street, Providence, RI Openings during Gallery Nights, June 15, 4:30-7:00 pm, and by calling 401-864-9006. Come relax with me in the gallery living rooms and on the porch. "On the Wing" GNSI-New England exhibition of migratory birds, insects, and pollinators at the US Fish and Wildlife Kettle Pond Visitor Center more 50 Bend Road, Charlestown, RI. May 20-August 25. Conference Visual Sci-Comm Conference, sponsored by the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI), will be virtual. As we learned throughout the pandemic, more people from around the world can attend virtual conferences, and we all save travel money for when we can meet in person, perhaps in '24. Conference dates, as of this writing, are August 11-13, with post-conference weekend workshops. Stay informed here. Artwork Submission The annual GNSI member show is accepting submissions until June 23, 2023. If you are hesitant to submit artwork, the practice of thinking about your artwork objectively and putting it "out there" is valuable in itself. Here are some tips for submitting artwork, written after I was a juror for the 2022 exhibition. Social Hour Every year, I host a social hour. SIDP-curious? Here is your chance to Zoom mingle with past, present, and future SIDP students. Catch up with your classmates, ask questions, network, or sit back with your favorite beverage. When? Complete this three question survey to tell me your best time. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F2JMSF8 Employment/Internships Scientific American Fall Internship Deadline July 10 Scientific Illustration Adjunct Professor at Arcadia University, PA Deadline June 21 Next week are the northern summer and southern winter solstices, a day during which I like to take a moment to acknowledge the shifting of seasons. How do you mark the solstice? Peace, Gretchen