Mark your calendars and plan to join us in 2026 in Denver, Colorado!
Our conference with be anchored at the beautiful Halcyon Hotel, Cherry Creek.
www.halcyonhotelcherrycreek.com
Denver Botanic Garden is our official 2026 conference sponsor.
Welcome to Denver! Watch the Video
Hotel Information
Halcyon Hotel
245 Columbine Street
Denver, Colorado 80206
https://Halcyonhotelcherrycreek.com
The Halcyon (our conference hotel) is a lovely boutique hotel nestled in the trendy and highly accessible Cherry Creek neighborhood. This hotel experience will be unlike previous conferences with ample amenities such as a rooftop pool and hot tub, fitness center, Gear Garage (full of goodies to rent, gratis) an available 24-hour barista at the Kitchen Counter and less than a mile walk to Denver Botanic Garden. This location promises luxury and convenience.
The ASBA Conference room rate is $298 plus applicable taxes. This rate applies to either King or to Two Queen standard rooms. The rate of $298 per night is extended to ASBA members from September 27th– October 7th, 2026.
Rooms will fill quickly as this is a much more intimate property with only 154 total guest rooms, so make your reservation as soon as possible. We anticipate the hotel will sell out and be filled with ASBA conference attendees exclusively.
https://reservations.halcyonhotelcherrycreek.com/?Hotel=37825&Chain=27716&arrive=2026-09-27&depart=2026-10-07&adult=1&child=0&group=20261011ASBA*If you are having difficulty making your reservation through the above link or you receive a message from the hotel that our room block is full, please reach out to Conference Coordinator Harper Quill at conference@asba-art.org for assistance.
Double Queen Rooms at the Halcyon are currently SOLD OUT
*Make sure to include your arrival and departure dates in your message.
What is the Gear Garage?
The Gear Garage at Halcyon is a unique amenity helping our guests make the most of their time in the Mile High City. It is complimentary for guests, and includes Piaggo Scooters, E-bikes, cruiser bikes, longboards, cameras, GoPro video cameras, and more. For a full list of items available for rental from the Gear Garage, please click
HERE.
Pool
Our pool is located on the roof of the hotel with stunning views of Downtown Denver and the Rocky Mountains. The pool is open year-round from 8 am to sunset.
Fitness Center
Halcyon’s 24-hour access fitness center is located on the lower level of the hotel (Level P1). We’ve also partnered with leading fitness partners in the neighborhood that offer a range of cardio, strength training, cycling, yoga, and barre classes in a luxurious and inviting environment. See a Halcyon host for a complimentary Wellness Passport.
PARKING
Halcyon provides valet parking for all vehicles. Self-parking is not available. There is a parking charge of $55.00 (ASBA reduced rate) for each vehicle parked overnight. Electric vehicle chargers are available for hotel guests using valet services.
Check in and Check out time
Check in is after 4 p.m. and check out is at 12 p.m., Noon.
AIRPORT INFORMATION
Halcyon is 22 miles from the Denver International Airport.
The best option for transportation to the hotel from the airport are taxi or Ride Share services.
https://www.flydenver.comSEEKING A ROOMMATE?
You can connect directly with other members seeking a roommate. Follow these simple stems and connect:
1. If you are not already logged in, log into the ASBA website https://www.asba-art.org/
2. Locate the “Member Features” menu
3. Click on “View > Member Interests”
4. Click on the down arrow next to “Annual Conference Hotel Room Sharing”
5. Click “View Members”. You will be able to see all members who are seeking a roommate.
6. To add your name to the list, click on "Sign Me Up"
7. Coordinate room sharing with any listed members by contacting them directly.
8. Once you have finalized plans with your roommate, don't forget to remove your name from the list by clicking "Remove Me"
Christina Alba
Christina Alba, PhD, is an associate research scientist in the Research & Conservation Department at Denver Botanic Gardens. She works in various habitat types across Colorado, studying the ecological factors that shape how plants are distributed on the landscape, including the role of disturbances like wildfire, biological invasions, and drought.
Jessica Daigle
Jessica Daigle is a classically trained artist, who earned her BFA from The University of Connecticut, concentrating in Illustration. Working with scientists from; The University of Connecticut, Penn State, Brown University, Boston University and The California Academy of Science, Jessica has created illustrations for various scientific publications and textbooks. As a Botanical and Scientific Illustrator, Jessica uses various mediums including ink, graphite, watercolor, digital painting and oils to best expresses the nature and essence of her subjects.
Mary Dillon
Capturing the essence of a plant with its sensuality and frailty defines the work of Mary Dillon. Mary has a fascination for botanical art as a personal process while striving for excellence in her art practice. Her painting ‘Abundance -
Punica granata’ was awarded ‘Best in Show’ at the ASBA 25th International Exhibition. Mary’s work belongs in the collection of Dr. Shirley Sherwood and in the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Mary was the founding Chairperson of the Irish Society of Botanical Artists. As an experienced botanical art educator, Mary loves to share the joy of painting plants with others.
Lara Call Gastinger
Lara Call Gastinger is a botanical artist and was the chief illustrator of Flora of Virginia, a botanical reference. She has an undergraduate degree in biology from UVA and a master's degree in plant ecology from VT. She has been awarded two gold medals (2007, 2018) at the RHS Botanical Art Show and has work in the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Her book, A Perpetual Journal Practice will be published in June 2026.
Christiane Fashek
Christiane’s recent work focuses on lichens rendered in colored pencil. She uses scale, perspective, and color to highlight their fascinating textures. She teaches classes and workshops virtually and in person. Her work regularly appears in exhibitions and is currently on view in NYBG’s Fifth Triennial, Curious Allies.
Paul Fleischer
Paul Fleischer is a former public school teacher turned urban farmer in Lakewood, Colorado. What started as a hobby quickly led to the establishment of The Fleischer Family Farm LLC which now has a CSA program of over one hundred and seventy five families in the community and runs a weekly on site farmers market. The farm also offers a wide range of agritourism, kids camps and adult education classes. Prioritizing health, education and environmental regard, the mission statement for the farm is “To be a source of nourishment and education, steward this earth and build community through food.
Clair Gaston
Based in Central Texas, Clair Gaston is an artist, naturalist, and educator who translates the vibrant beauty of nature into detailed colored pencil and oil works, often inspired by the rhythms of her own garden. She holds a BFA and an MFA in Painting and Drawing and has enjoyed teaching for over 20 years. Influences on her work include historical and contemporary botanical art, gardening, and daily life. She works in her studio near Austin, where she teaches private classes, and is on faculty of The Art School of The Contemporary Austin and The Denver School of Botanical Art and Illustration.
Işık Güner
Işık Güner is an award-winning botanical artist. After her graduation in Engineering, she began working full-time as a botanical artist in 2006. Her completed book and conservation projects include Plants from the Woods and Forests of Chile, Transylvania Florilegium, Beauty of Orchids, China, and Plants of Nepal. She is currently a tutor on the Diploma in Botanical Illustration at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and works as an art editor for the Illustrated Flora of Turkey. Her book, Botanical Illustration from Life (2019), has been published in six languages. Her work has been recognized with Gold Medals, Best in Show Awards, and the Mary Mendum Medal at international exhibitions, including the RHS in London and BISCOT.
Wendy Hollender
Wendy Hollender is a world-renowned botanical artist and author whose work has been exhibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and published in the New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, and numerous other outlets. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Hollender is the author of the best-selling books The Joy of Botanical Drawing and Botanical Drawing in Color, and teaches botanical drawing at the New York Botanical Garden and other venues around the world. Her newest book, The Album of Plant Families was just published from Abbeville Press. See more about Wendy at www.wendyhollender.com and her educational website www.drawbotanica
Vincent Jeannerot
For over forty years, Vincent Jeannerot's original botanical watercolors have conveyed the emotion he feels when he paints nature in its smallest details. Vincent paints the pure, natural beauty of life, with its balanced tones and nuances, awakening our own emotions He takes part in national and international exhibitions and also runs classes at his own gallery in his native Lyon, France.
He is invited to teach his botanical art internationally, in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Russia, Latvia, Greece, Japan, South Korea and the USA.
Anna Kaye
Anna Kaye was born in Detroit, Michigan and now lives in Denver where she works in her studio creating drawings, paintings, videos, and sculptures that are inspired by the natural world. Witnessing the urban decay from de-industrialization as a child enhanced her sense of empathy, compassion, love for diversity and justice, and reverence for the natural world. She earned her B.S. in geology and fine art at Skidmore College, NY. She continued her education at Yale in painting, drawing, printmaking, and photography. She earned her M.F.A. at Washington University in St. Louis where she was awarded the Laura and William Jens Scholarship and a teaching on record position. Kaye donates a percentage of all sales annually to environmental funds. She curates large -scale exhibitions that promote social action and connectivity. She currently teaches at the Denver Art Museum and Denver Botanic Gardens.
Marjorie Leggitt
A self-taught artist, Marjorie began her career dissecting and illustrating Australian land snails at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History. While illustrating the first of several botanical field guides, she was contracted by the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to develop visual reconstructions of ancient plant life for the Prehistoric Journey permanent exhibit. In 2025 Marjorie completed 18 years as lead artist for the Flora of North America. She is currently illustrating an Oklahoma flora for the University of OK and collaborating on a permanent exhibit for a natural center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
M. Joy Lemon
A professional artist and instructor, M. Joy Lemon works in the classical realist style with an emphasis on luminosity and depth. Her approach melds extensive atelier training with the delicate art of botanical illustration in graphite, charcoal and chalk, watercolor, and oil. Through this practice, Joy has cultivated a profound understanding of how light and shadow interact with form; each turn, twist, and curl of a petal demands meticulous observation and a soft, nuanced application of values. Check out her work at: mjlemon.com.
Patrick Martin
Patrick Martin's research is focused on the ecology and dynamics of plant communities – their organization, assembly, and distribution under past, present, and future environments – with an emphasis on the ecological repercussions of global change. How do climate change, exotic species invasions, urbanization, anthropogenic transformation of the landscape, and altered disturbance regimes impact plant communities and transform ecosystem functioning?
Catie Michel
Catie Michel is a science illustrator and public artist based in Denver, CO. Her background in field research and science communication grounds her creative work in attention, observation, and inquiry. As a devoted naturalist, her process begins the moment she catches a rare glimpse into a vernal pool. She has installed murals across CO and creates science illustrations for organizations like The Nature Conservancy, Botanic Gardens, and State Parks. Finding great community in shared curiosity, Catie examines themes of connection, access, advocacy, and the intersection of science and art.
David Morrison
David Morrison is an Emeritus Professor of Art at the Herron School of Art, Indianapolis University and Purdue University at Indianapolis. He has shown in over two hundred fifty international and national exhibitions and has received over sixty awards. He has had four solo shows in New York City in 2021,2018, 2013 and 2015. Morrison has conducted workshops at the New York Botanical Garden, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden, Denver Botanic Garden, Massachusetts Horticultural Society and American Society of Botanical Artists Conference. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985 with a Master of Fine Art and University of South Dakota, Vermillion with a Bachelor of Fine Art in 1981.
Kelly Leahy Radding
Kelly Leahy Radding is an award-winning botanical artist based in Connecticut. She is a graduate of the New York Botanical Garden’s Certificate Program in Botanical Art and Illustration and holds a degree in graphic design from the Art Institute of Houston. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including the New York Botanical Garden Triennial Exhibition, the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens, and multiple American Society of Botanical Artists International Juried Exhibitions. Kelly has taught painting and composition for many years, emphasizing classical design principles and observational rigor in botanical art.
Charlotte Ricker
Charlotte Ricker teaches botanical illustration courses for Denver Botanic Gardens School of Botanical Art & Illustration and natural science illustration courses for Rhode Island School of Design. Over the years, she has also taught for Filoli Gardens as well as online and in-person art, illustration and interior design courses for Savannah College of Art and Design and Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. Charlotte has over 30 years of experience creating illustrations, graphics and exhibit designs for various zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and natural history museums. When she is not working in her studio or engaging with students in the classroom, Charlotte can be found exploring nature, conducting research for her art.
Betsy Rogers-Knox
Betsy Rogers-Knox earned a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from The NYBG. She enjoys working with a variety of watercolor techniques to convey plants, their habitats and their lifecycles. Her work has been shown widely in the US including the 13th-26th ASBA International Exhibitions. Betsy received a Gold Medal at the 2024 RHS Exhibition and her work is held in the permanent collection at the RHS Lindley Library in London and at the Hunt Institute in Pittsburgh.
Daleen Roodt
Daleen’s passion for in situ work brings to life the indigenous orchid and plant species of South Africa, portraying the intricate relationships between plants, pollinators, and their environment. Her watercolor paintings on paper and vellum has received awards from both the RHS and ASBA, and is featured in the Shirley Sherwood Collection.
Crystal Shin
Working mainly in colored pencils, Crystal is drawn to capturing luminous colors and fine details that highlight the beauty of plants. She excels at sharing knowledge with her students, offering her intuitive understanding of colors and her ability to broaden their insight. Primary illustrator for the 2nd edition of Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Crystal works at the University of Washington’s herbarium, and her illustrations appear in various scientific journals. Crystal is a sought-after instructor, teaching classes for the New York Botanical Gardens, the Washington Native Plants Society, the Vienna School of Botanical Illustration, Pacific Northwest Botanical Artists, and ASBA conferences.
Deborah Shaw
Deborah Shaw has a degree in fine art and has taught at US and international venues. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collection at the Hunt; part of the Botanical Collections at The Huntington, San Marino, CA; and in the Hannarie Wenhold Gallery, Grootbos, South Africa. She is a contributor to "Botanical Art Techniques: A Comprehensive Guide” edited by Carol Woodin and Robin Jess, published by ASBA and Timber Press. In 2020 she received the ASBA James White Service Award.
Susan Tomlinson
Susan Tomlinson recently retired after many years of teaching in the Honors College at Texas Tech University, where she was the recipient of numerous teaching awards. She is the author of a book on nature journaling (How to Keep a Naturalist’s Notebook) and is currently working on a book under contract for botanical paintings featuring cotton. Her work is in the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, and she is the recipient of RHS Silver Gilt (2022) and Gold( 2025) medals for her paintings. Her work was also featured on the June 2018 cover of The Botanical Artist. Susan is a member of the ASBA Board of Directors
Julia Trickey
For over 25 years, Julia has been dedicated to botanical art - painting, teaching, exhibiting, and developing learning resources. A multi-award-winning artist, her watercolors are held in prestigious international collections and florilegia. Since the Pandemic, she has hosted regular webinars featuring leading botanical artists from around the world. Photo credit - ©Domestika
Denise Walser-Kolar
Denise Walser-Kolar specializes in painting botanical and nature art on vellum and loves teaching others how to paint on vellum. Awards include the ASBA Diane Bouchier Artist Award for Excellence in Botanical Art and a Silver-Gilt medal from the Royal Horticultural Society, her work is held in the permanent collection of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, and she is currently working on a series of paintings inspired by the work of 16th Century Illuminator, Joris Hoefnagel.
Carol Woodin
Specializing in rare and curious plants in watercolor on vellum, Carol Woodin's work has been exhibited around the world, recently at the Hannarie Wenhold Gallery, Grootbos, South Africa, UBS Gallery, New York, and the Shirley Sherwood Gallery, UK. Her 30+ years of working on vellum has led to teaching its specialized techniques throughout the Americas, in Europe and in Africa. In 2024, she received the Shirley Sherwood Award for ‘broad and significant contributions to botanical art’ and is ASBA's Director of Exhibitions.
PRE-CONFERENCE
TUE/WED SEP 29 - 30, 9:30AM-3PM
TUE, SEP 29
WED, SEP 30
CONFERENCE
WED, SEP 30, 1PM-4PM
WED SEP 30, 1PM-5PM
WED, Sep 30, 5PM-7PM
THURS OCT 1, 7AM-8:30AM
THURS OCT 1, 8AM-10:30AM
THURS OCT 1, 8:30AM-10:30AM
THURS OCT 1, 11AM-1PM
THURS OCT 1, 1:30PM-4:30PM
THURS OCT 1, 1:30PM-4:30PM
THURS OCT 1, 5PM-6:30PM
FRI OCT 2, 7AM-8:30AM
FRI OCT 2, 8AM-4PM
FRI OCT 2, 9AM-4:30PM
FRI, OCT 2, 12PM-1PM
SAT OCT 3, 7AM-8:30AM
SAT, OCT 3, 9AM-4:30PM
SAT, OCT 3, 9AM-10:30AM
SAT, OCT 3, 10:45AM-12PM
SAT, OCT 3, 12PM-1PM
SAT, OCT 3, 1PM-4:30PM
SAT, OCT 3, 1PM-2:30PM
SAT, OCT 3, 2:30PM-4PM
SAT, OCT 3, 5PM-7PM
SAT, OCT 3, 7:30PM-9:30PM
POST CONFERENCE
SUN, OCT 4 - TUE OCT 6, 9AM-4PM
SUN, OCT 4
MON, OCT 5
TUE, OCT 6
2026 Conference Registration Timeline
Key Dates
June 1: Conference information published on the ASBA website for Denver
June 1-30: Members planning to attend conference may request an Early Registration appointment
June 23: Reminder email sent to members who have not yet requested an Early Registration appointment
July 8-9: Members will receive their randomly generated Early Registration appointment time and a link and password for the Early Registration site
July 20-24: Early Registration for members with appointments to register for conference
July 20: Small Works entries open to members registered for the Denver conference
July 31-Aug 31: Open Registration – any member may register for the Denver conference
August 31: Small Works exhibition entry deadline
September 20: Small Works exhibition entry MUST BE RECEIVED at designated shipping address
tips for a successful registration experience
On
June 1, ASBA members will receive an email with instructions on how to request an appointment for Early Registration. The Appointment Request period runs through
June 30.
For members with appointment times:
•On
July 8 through July 9, all who made an Appointment Request will receive an email that contains your randomly assigned appointment time for Early Registration as well as a link and password for the Early Registration site. Appointment times are scheduled in fifteen-minute allotments during the Early Registration period of
July 20-24.
Please do not discard this email.
•You must register during your assigned registration appointment time.
•Be ready with your Session and Meal choices and your credit card before registering.
•If for some reason your assigned appointment time is not convenient, you are encouraged to give your Registration Form and credit card info to a friend who can register for you.
•To keep the process fair, randomly assigned appointment times may not be changed. Those who miss their Early Registration appointment times will be able to register during the Open Registration period beginning
July 31.
•Members who do not participate in Early Registration may register in the Open Registration period beginning
July 31, 7:00am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) without an appointment time.
•Open registration runs
July 31 through August 31, 2026. Registration closes at midnight EDT on
August 31, 2026 and additional registrations will not be accepted.
Please be sure that your membership is up to date (2026 dues paid) in advance of registering or you will not receive email notifications regarding conference registration.
Policy
1.
Current ASBA membership is required for registration. Please be sure that your membership dues are paid in advance of June 1 to ensure you receive email notifications about conference registration details.
2.
The ASBA conference is a three-day event. Partial registration is not available.
3.
Base Registration Fee is $460* for ASBA members, $25 for guests.
4.
Base Registration for ASBA Members covers the Welcome reception on Wednesday, breakfast and lunch Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, dinner on Saturday evening, and some activities including Artist's Table (formerly Portfolio Sharing), Open Studio if offered, and vendor sales. Additional fees are charged for conference workshops, pre- and post- conference workshops and some lectures. See prices listed in the Sessions tab of the ASBA website. Price does not include lodging or transportation.
5.
Base Registration for guests entitles guests to be registered for meals, receptions, tours, lectures, or other sessions open to guests at an additional charge. Guests may not register for workshops.
6.
Registration Deadline: 11:00pm Eastern Time on August 31, 2026. No registrations will be accepted after that time, no exceptions.
7.
Cancellation and Refunds
•
Cancellation on/or before 11:00pm Eastern on August 31, 2026
o
$250 cancellation fee will be retained by ASBA
o Balance will be refunded
•
Cancellation after August 31 and before 11:00pm Eastern on September 14, 2026
o
50% of total registration will be retained by ASBA
("total registration" means all member and guest fees - including registration fees, workshop fees, tour fees, pre- and post-conference workshop fees, meal fees)
o
Balance will be refunded
•
Cancellation on/after September 15, 2026: No refund
•
Cancellation at any time due to member experiencing a serious medical issue prohibiting their attendance or death in the immediate family
o
$250 cancellation fee will be retained by ASBA
o
Balance will be refunded
ASBA reserves the right to cancel any workshop due to unforeseen circumstances or substitute an instructor if the scheduled instructor is unable to fulfill the teaching obligation. In the event a workshop is cancelled, the fee will be refunded. No refunds will be given due to the change of instructor.
If any discrepancies exist between policies described in the Journal and those online, the policies appearing online take precedence.
8. Published Hotel provided menu items are subject to availability and may be changed at the discretion of the Hotel.
ASBA is committed to the health and safety of conference attendees. ASBA and the Halcyon Hotel at Cherry Creek will follow Health and Safety laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines established by the State of Colorado the city of Denver, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (collectively, the “Regulations”). We will ask conference attendees to agree to comply with all regulations in effect at the time of the conference.
*ASBA does its best to keep costs down, particularly for our Annual Conference. Registration fees are used to cover costs that ASBA incurs for hotel meals, receptions, lecture and workshop room rentals and A/V services as well as transportation to offsite programs. We do not make money off conference registrations. Although we know that our members' costs to attend the conference are substantial, we believe there is still great value in gathering in person, initiating, and building lasting friendships, and sharing our common passion for botanical art - in person!