Mushroom Botanical Art

December 7 and 8, 2019
from 10:00AM to 4:00PM 
in the MCBG Education Center

World-class botanical illustrator Alexander (Sasha) Viazmensky is traveling from his home in St. Petersburg, Russia to teach a botanical art class on the Mendocino Coast! This two-day workshop is co-sponsored by the Mendocino Coast Mushroom Club and Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Sasha enjoys working with beginners as well as with experienced artists to make “Mushroom Portraits in Watercolor”. All levels of experience are welcome to enroll. There will be an optional forage with the Mushroom Club on Friday, December 6 to gather specimens for the class (free with cost of the workshop). 

Bring your own supplies (supply list provided below) these items can be purchased locally at  Racines Office & Art Supplies (350 N Main St, Fort Bragg, CA 95437). Bring a brown bag lunch both days.

Workshop Registration:

Class size is limited! Class cost is $240 for members of the Gardens; $280 for non-members (includes Gardens admission for both days). Payment is due upon sign-up. Please note, all workshop fees are non-refundable unless the workshop has been canceled or rescheduled by the Gardens. Sign up by phoning 707-964-4352 ext. 16 or stop by The Garden Store at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. 

About the Instructor: 

Sasha Viazmensky was born and lives in St. Petersburg, Russia, and specializes in painting fungi. Although he has a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, he has devoted his life to painting, studying, and picking mushrooms. His work is included in the collections of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Shirley Sherwood Collection and the Komarov Botanical Institute in St. Petersburg, among others, and in private collections all over the world. 

SUPPLY LIST

Paper: 

• Watercolor paper 140 lb., cold-pressed or hot pressed with smooth surface 9X12 or larger. Canson is a brand that Sasha recommends
• Please bring additional small pieces of the same paper to use, for testing and Alexander's demonstrations.

Brushes: 

• At least four round brushes with sharp point, sable or synthetic, #1, 3, 6 or other close numbers
• Filbert brush #4
• Old dull brushes, if available (helps to create textures). 

Paints: 

• A set of quality, transparent watercolor paints; Alexander recommends pans, not tubes. You may bring the watercolors you currently use.
• Sasha prefers "Yarka -St. Petersburg" professional brand, basic set of 24 colors, not complementary colors, A less expensive option is Kuretake Gansai Tambi set of basic 24 colors. Both available in the USA online at Blick.
• Opaque, white paint - gouache ( zinc not titanium) any brand. One tube is enough for class and will be supplied however if you have your own already, please bring

Other: 

• Pencil 
• Eraser 
• Dish for water
• Glossy poster-board, the kind used by elementary school students for projects, for using as a palette (available in drugstores, supermarkets, Target, arts and craft stores, and other stores). NOTE: one side must be glossy in order to work. 

• Many brands of poster board have changed to have a matte surface on both sides. Please check carefully before buying. The sizes of poster-board pieces used for palettes should be around 12" x 8" (30 x 20 cm).