June 30 to September 26, 2009
Porter Hall Gallery
Hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm Daily
The exhibit gives viewers an opportunity to see the original work of three botanical illustrators, to learn more about the work of scientific illustration and to become acquainted with one of the foremost botanists of the southwest, Howard Scott Gentry, whose work, Agaves of Continental North America, continues to be the definitive (taxonomic) authority on agaves. The 31 illustrations are the work of Lucretia Breazeale Hamilton, Wendy Hodgson and Regina O. Hughes. They present viewers with the opportunity to develop insight into the work of a scientific illustrator and to appreciate the exquisite detail often lost in the the printing process. These original drawings were first exhibited to the public at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in the Spring of 2009 as a result of the cooperative efforts of the staff of the University of Arizona Herbarium, volunteers of The Florilegium Program of the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society and the staff and volunteers of the ASDM Art Institute. Tucson Botanical Gardens has now joined this effort to bring to the public historical works of art indigenous to the Sonoran Desert Region.
Click here to see photos of the exhibit.
In the Spring of 2009 the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society (TCSS) hosted the Cactus and Succulent Society (CSSA) Biennial Convention. In cooperation with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Musuem Art Institute the Florilegium Program of TCSS planned two exhibits of cactus and succulents to coincide with the convention, A Closer Look at Cactus & Succulents and Illustrations from Howard Scott Gentry’s book, Agaves of Continential North America. Also featured at the exhibits were Ikebana flower arrangements using Sonoran Desert plants created by the Tucson chapter of the Sangetsu School of Flower arranging. Convention participants were encouraged to visit the museum and view the exhibits. An opening reception was held for the public on Sunday, April 5 at which David Yetman, a friend of Dr. Gentry and well known host of the public television series The Desert Speaks, writer and research social scientist spoke of Dr. Gentry. Members of Dr. Gentry’s family were present for David Yetman’s talk and were introduced to the public. Tohono Chul Park also held an exhibit on cactus and succulents in part of their gallery during the CSSA Convention in this cooperative effort to share the uniqueness of the flora of our region with visitors.
April 5th to June 7th, 2009: Ironwood Gallery Juried Exhibition, A Closer Look at Cactus & Succulents
Baldwin Education Building, Illustrations from Howard Scott Gentry’ book, Agaves of Continental North America.
To see a gallery of photos of this exhibit, click here.
To see a selection of illustrations in the University of Arizona Herbarium Collection, click here.