Home2026 - Denver

ASBA 32nd Annual Conference

Denver, Colorado

Pre-Conference: September 29 & September 30, 2026

Conference: October 1, 2, 3, 2026

Post-Conference: October 4, 5, 6, 2026

Overview

Lodging

Instructors

Sessions & Supply Lists

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.

ASBA group rates will be available soon.

www.halcyonhotelcherrycreek.com

Denver Botanic Garden is our official 2026 conference sponsor.

Stay tuned…

Hotel Information

Halcyon Hotel

245 Colunbine 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

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.com

SEEKING 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"

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.

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.

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.

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.

Note: Preliminary schedule below. Complete schedule and pricing information will be posted June 1, 2026

PRE-CONFERENCE

TUE/WED SEP 29 - 30, 9:30AM-3PM

Accordion Widget

WORKSHOP: Precision, Texture & Contrast in Botanical Art (watercolor) with Işık Güner

This two-day pre-conference workshop focuses on developing strong observational skills through measured drawings and close study of plant structure. Participants will explore ways to capture surface texture, fine detail, and the power of tonal and color contrast to describe form, depth, and character. Working step-by-step from observation to drawing and painting, the workshop emphasizes scientific accuracy alongside artistic clarity, helping students refine their technique and confidence in botanical illustration.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Halcyon Hotel - Marble

Accordion Widget

WORKSHOP: Painting orchids: confident fieldwork for authentic finals (graphite & watercolor) with Daleen Roodt

Painting orchids: confident fieldwork for authentic finals
Session Description Efficient preparation is key to the success of a botanical painting. Learn how to capture the true essence of an orchid in a relaxed manner, ensuring the underlying glow of your unique artistic personality. A fieldtrip to Denver Botanical Gardens will provide in situ experience. Streamline your process of gathering visual information on site, build confidence and ensure ease of your creative process and authentic artistic expression. Graphite and watercolor will be used in unique ways to capture color, light and composition. Final demonstrations will be done on vellum. Participants are welcome to start their finals on either paper or vellum.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Halcyon Hotel - Linear

CONFERENCE

WED, SEP 30, 1PM-4:30PM

Accordion Widget

TOUR: Fleisher Farms

Details available June 1.

SESSION CAPACITY: 27
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

WED SEP 30, 1PM-5PM

Accordion Widget

Conference Check-In, Catalog Sales, and Art Bazaar Drop Off

Welcome to the Conference! Pick up your conference packet that includes all the details you will need. Catalogs from ASBA Exhibitions are available for purchase. Drop off and complete paperwork for your Art Bazaar items.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: No

Halcyon Hotel

WED, Sep 30, 5PM-7PM

Accordion Widget

RECEPTION Welcome Reception

Join us as we gather to kick off the beginning of a wonderful conference in Denver. Enjoy some tasty bites while you greet old friends and make new ones - and welcome first-time conference attendees. Cash Bar available.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Halcyon Hotel- Rare Bird (rooftop bar)

THURS OCT 1, 7AM-8:30AM

Accordion Widget

Thursday Breakfast Buffet

Details available June 1.

Halcyon Hotel - Ballroom

THURS OCT 1, 8AM-10:30AM

Accordion Widget

Conference Check-in, Art Bazaar Dropoff, Catalog Sales

Welcome to the Conference! Pick up your conference packet that includes all the details you will need. Catalogs from ASBA Exhibitions are available for purchase.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: No

Halcyon Hotel

THURS OCT 1, 8:30AM-10:30AM

Accordion Widget

Portfolio Sharing

ASBA Members of all experience levels are welcome to reserve a table and show your portfolio of completed works and/or works in progress. Artists may sell cards, prints and other items, with a 30% commission to ASBA.
Note: only register for this session if you are reserving a table. No registration required to attend.

SESSION CAPACITY:12
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes (only for those reserving a table)

Halcyon Hotel - Pre-function and Nest

THURS OCT 1, 11AM-1PM

Accordion Widget

Luncheon and Program

The ASBA Annual Conference Luncheon gives us all the chance to greet old friends and new and share ideas and experiences. Enjoy an informative presentation while you dine.

Halcyon Hotel - Ballroom

THURS OCT 1, 1PM-4:30PM

Accordion Widget

TOUR: Denver Botanic Garden Herbarium and Library Tour

Details available June 1.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

THURS OCT 1, 1:30PM-4:30PM

Accordion Widget

Techniques Showcase on Stage with Julia Trickey, M. Joy Lemon and Crystal Shin

Three artists demonstrate and discuss on stage with close-ups of their techniques projected onto a large screen.

1:30PM Julia Trickey - Desiccation and Detail
Julia will demonstrate her approach to painting fading specimens, including when and how to apply masking fluid, techniques for recreating delicate papery textures, how to capture the translucency of petals, and how to add details that will enhance the sense of fragility in the subject.

2:30PM M. Joy Lemon - Elevate your Drawing - Intuitive Block-in
Experience the intuitive block-in method, a time-tested technique that hones the eye to perceive and render proportions, shapes, and angles with consistent accuracy and sensitivity through pure observation, without relying on external measuring devices or tools. Through live demonstration and clear explanation, witness how this technique cultivates disciplined observation, strengthens hand-eye coordination, improves line quality, supports emotional regulation during the creative process, and sharpens problem-solving skills. Once mastered, this foundational ability becomes a lifelong asset that artists can refine, strengthen, and build upon throughout their entire career.

3:30PM Crystal Shin -Using Incising Techniques on Complex Veins in Leaves
Creating convincing veins on leaves can be a challenge for botanical artists. Incising is a useful technique to render veins with clarity and precision when using colored pencils. Crystal will demonstrate her approach to this method, employing a variety of tools and techniques to create both prominent veins and subtle venation with realism and refinement.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Accordion Widget

CLASS Juror Training with Carol Woodin

A review of the topics needed to serve as a juror for ASBA exhibitions, including policies and procedures, and criteria used in scoring artworks. Participants learn to look at botanical art with a critical eye, when they divide up into teams and jury a small exhibition.

SESSION CAPACITY: 16
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Garden York Street - Classroom 2

Accordion Widget

CLASS Depth & Detail: Layering Watercolor for Texture and Contrast (watercolor) with Işık Güner

This half-day workshop focuses on watercolor techniques used to create depth, texture, and clarity in botanical painting. Işık Güner will demonstrate her approach to layering watercolor, building form through transparent washes, controlled pigment placement, and the use of strong tonal contrast. Participants will explore methods for suggesting surface texture and fine detail while maintaining freshness and precision in the paint layers. The session offers insight into technical decision-making and process, supporting artists who wish to strengthen depth and confidence in their botanical watercolor practice.

SESSION CAPACITY:14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Garden York Street - Classroom 3

Accordion Widget

CLASS Textures with Pen & Ink cross hatching (pen & ink) with Vincent Jeannerot

We’ll learn together how to create textures on realistic drawing with cross hatching technique with Pen & Ink.

We are going to draw with nibs, Microns or Rotrings in black or, why not, in sepia ink to illustrate different textures like the shiny aubergine, rough barks or vegetable skins.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Garden York Street

Accordion Widget

CLASS Creating and Maintaining a Perpetual Journal (pen and watercolor) with Lara Call Gastinger

Learn basic skills for drawing outside and starting and maintaining your perpetual journal. We will explore and draw at the Denver Botanical Gardens after learning how to compose a page, use a pen, add watercolor, and make important observations.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Garden York Street - Garden

THURS OCT 1, 5PM-6:30PM

Accordion Widget

PANEL: Educators Forum

What do you think about my artwork?

Whether you are giving or receiving feedback, there are effective ways to convey and challenge a student and teacher to learn and develop in their artistic practice. This session will address fear of judgement, language to promote artistic growth, and strategies to improve a student’s work. Remember, we are all in this artistic journey together!

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Garden York Street - Strum Auditorium

FRI OCT 2, 7AM-8:30AM

Accordion Widget

Friday Breakfast Buffet

Details available June 1.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Halcyon Hotel - Ballroom

FRI OCT 2, 8AM-4PM

Accordion Widget

TOUR: Denver Art Museum

Details available June 1.

Denver Art Museum

Accordion Widget

CLASS Gathering and Drawing Flowers and Fruits in a Plant Family with Wendy Hollender

Draw flowers and or fruits by identifying their geometry and patterns that plants in the same family share. This is one way of unlocking the puzzle of drawing realistic and descriptive flowers and fruits. Start with simple geometry and quick sketches to warm up, followed by more detailed drawings of flowers and or fruits.

Charter transportation and boxed lunch included.

SESSION CAPACITY: 12
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Chatfield Gardens - Yurt

Accordion Widget

CLASS Painting Crabapples on Vellum (watercolor) with Denise Walser Kolar

Learn Denise's technique for painting on vellum as we paint beautiful crabapples from Chatfield Farm. Crabapples are a perfect subject for a one-day class as they can be drawn relatively quickly so we can move right on to painting. Students will learn how to paint highlights, reflected light, lost edges, and shadows, and how to achieve effective texture. We will also talk about how to layer colors to get the luminosity that vellum is so well known for. You do not need vellum painting experience to take this class, but basic watercolor skills will be helpful. A handout will be emailed to students before the conference.

Charter transportation and boxed lunch included.

SESSION CAPACITY: 12
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Chatfield Gardens - Schoolhouse

FRI OCT 2, 9AM-4:30PM

Accordion Widget

CLASS: Silverpoint: A modern approach in African tradition (silverpoint) with Daleen Roodt

Helichrysum is a group of indigenous African aromatic plants revered for its wealth of traditional, ceremonial and medicinal uses. The different tannin-rich plant parts contain beautiful natural pigments. Following a brief overview of the rich cultural heritage, participants will receive a working surface prepared with a traditional ground tinted with pigment extracted from various Helichrysum species. Borrowing from Renaissance technique, silverpoint will be used as medium to capture the delicate nature of the plant. Final touches will be added with watercolor made from pigments extracted from the plant.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 1

Accordion Widget

CLASS Line, Pressure, Sensitivity with Color Pencils (colored pencil) with David Morrison

This one-day workshop will focus on developing observation skills though linework. We will use botanical subject matter to develop color pencil line drawings. Afterwards we will use watercolor to enhance the drawings.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 2

Accordion Widget

CLASS Fall Treasures in Carbon Dust and Coffee with Deborah (Deb) Shaw

Carbon dust is a century-old technique originally developed for medical illustration. “Washes” of dust applied with a dry brush are combined with carbon pencils, resulting in a deep range of beautiful, continuous grayscale tones. Carbon dust techniques are easy to learn and incredibly forgiving. Although mixed media has always been part of the carbon dust repertoire, carbon dust artists also have a history of using coffee as a non-traditional addition. We’ll explore traditional carbon dust techniques and coffee (or watercolor) with Fall subjects. Each participant will receive a “goody bag” of specialty materials to use and take home.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 3

Accordion Widget

CLASS AFTER WHITE - Reimagining Botanical Backgrounds (gouche) with Julia Trickey

In traditional botanical art, specimens are typically presented against a white background. In this workshop, we will turn that convention on its head by exploring the impact of working on a dark background instead. We will look at which subjects are best suited to this dramatic style, the materials and techniques used to create rich dark grounds, and the adjustments needed to ensure your subject appears natural and convincing in this setting.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 4

Accordion Widget

CLASS Reconstructing Botanical Roadkill (pen and ink) with Marjorie Leggitt

As a botanical illustrator, when asked to create drawings of plants I don’t have access to, I rely on herbarium specimens. This class addresses the challenges of working from flat plant material and the process of developing accurate pen and ink 3D depictions. Working from multiples specimens, learn to build models that help define perspective and values, discover how pencil marks act as road maps for inking, practice mark-making techniques that suggest lighting and textures, discover tips and tricks to enhance spatial quality, and come away with a better understanding and appreciate of the benefit of working from “botanical roadkill.”

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 5

Accordion Widget

CLASS Botanicals in Ink and Watercolor with Cathryn B Michel

We will focus on integrating pen-and-ink techniques with watercolor to create cohesive botanical plates that combine monochromatic and full-color elements. Participants will explore the historical context of this media combination, study plant anatomy, and identify key structures to feature for scientific clarity and visual balance. We will address composition, line quality, scale bars, and labeling, and work towards a completed plate that celebrates botanical accuracy and artistic design.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 6

Accordion Widget

CLASS Fieldcraft: Maximizing time in the field with Susan Tomlinson

Sometimes we have limited time in the field and if we are working on a project that will be completed in the studio, it becomes vital that we work efficiently and accurately to record all the data we need. This session focuses on honing our field skills--including planning your project, knowing what to take into the field, sketching quickly and accurately, and keeping track of your data for future reference. We will be learning and practicing our skills with a full day in the beautiful Sensory Garden at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens -Sensory Garden Courtyard

Accordion Widget

CLASS Extended Format: Fall Favorites in Colored Pencil and Watercolor Pencil with Clair Gaston

Embrace the changing seasons by learning to capture the specific textures and intricate structures of fall in colored pencil. We will move beyond standard format to work in an extended size—utilizing long horizontal or vertical compositions to emphasize the elegant, reaching lines of autumn flora. Our subjects will include dry, curling leaves; seed pods; bare branches, and more. Techniques covered will include layering for rich dark specimens, and achieving the look of brittle, curling forms. From the rugged textures of bark to delicate dormant winter buds, we will learn how to arrange and draw a strong composition in an extended format that is undeniably Autumn.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Woodland Mosaic Garden

FRI, OCT 2, 12PM-1:30PM

Accordion Widget

Friday Deli/Salad Lunch Buffet

Details available June 1.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

SAT OCT 3, 7AM-8:30AM

Accordion Widget

Saturday Breakfast Buffet

Details available June 1.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Halcyon Hotel - Ballroom

SAT, OCT 18, 8AM-4PM

Accordion Widget

CLASS Colorado Cottonwoods in Mixed Media with Charlotte Ricker

In autumn, the plains and wetlands of Colorado are illuminated by the radiant gold of majestic cottonwood trees. In this workshop, we will explore the morphology of the Plains Cottonwood (Populus deltoides), identifying subspecies through the botanical characteristics that make each unique. Students will develop strategies for rendering tree structure with accuracy, studying repeating fractal patterns and using sighting techniques to establish proportions and measure angles to capture the foreshortening of branches. Working in watercolor, colored pencil and gouache, we will explore techniques for rendering the deeply-furrowed texture of bark and capturing the luminous greens and yellows of autumn foliage.

Charter transportation and boxed lunch included.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Chatfield Gardens - Yurt

Accordion Widget

CLASS Little Veg on Vellum (watercolor) with Carol Woodin

Chatfield Farms will be full of the bounty of autumn and we'll use it to our advantage. This day-long immersion into painting in watercolor on vellum will alleviate anxiety and increase confidence in working with this beautiful material. After choosing a small autumn vegetable, artists will draw and transfer their subject to vellum. We'll learn to build layers, increasing color intensity and form, while taking advantage of vellum’s best qualities. Vellum is a beautiful surface on which to render luminous depictions of plant life.

Charter transportation and boxed lunch included.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Chatfield Gardens - Schoolhouse

SAT, OCT 3, 9AM-4:30PM

Accordion Widget

CLASS Textures with Watercolor cross hatching with Vincent Jeannerot

We’ll learn together how to create textures on realistic painting with cross hatching technique with watercolor.

We are going to illustrate different textures like the shiny aubergine, rough barks, smooth leaves or bicolor artichoke de Provence.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 1

Accordion Widget

CLASS Curly Kale in Colored Pencil with Christiane Fashek

Have you ever been tempted to paint your salad leaves? The curly, furling leaves of kale are a wonderful challenge for the colored pencil artist. We’ll use an array of pencils and blends to bring the frilled, pillowed, and puckered textures of these leaves to life in bright and muted palettes. Techniques introduced will include resist, erasure, layering, and the application of colorless blender marker.

SESSION CAPACITY:14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 2

Accordion Widget

CLASS Dynamic Structure in Botanical Art: Using Harmonic Armature to Guide the Eye with Kelly Leahy Radding

Harmonic Armature—also known as Dynamic Structure—is a classical compositional framework that brings balance, movement, and visual harmony to a work of art. Like the internal structure of a plant, it provides an unseen support system for rhythm and cohesion. In this workshop, botanical artists will explore how diagonals, proportional divisions, and key intersections guide the viewer’s eye and strengthen planning decisions. Working with classic design elements such as form, repetition, and odd-number groupings, participants will learn to create dynamic, intentional compositions while avoiding static or centered layouts.

SESSION CAPACITY:14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 3

Accordion Widget

CLASS Capturing Luminosity and Intricate Details in Heirloom Tomatoes (colored pencil) with Crystal Shin

Tomatoes are fascinating subjects with myriad colors ranging from green to red, blue, pink, and purple, sometimes all in one tomato! Celebrating the lively and vibrant colors of tomatoes, Crystal will guide you in observing subtle underlying tones and share her careful colored pencil layering techniques, resulting in smooth, luminous textures, glowing colors, and deep, rich saturation. She’ll also offer helpful tips on achieving convincing details such as scars, hairs, and the imperfections often found in heirloom varieties.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 4

Accordion Widget

CLASS IPatterns On Form (watercolor) with Betsy Rogers-Knox

Explore the abundance of wonderful patterns that nature provides on plants including spirals, stripes and spots. Using several different subjects learn how to adapt these patterns to three-dimensional shapes to effectively convey the roundness of form. We’ll start with an accurate line drawing, followed by step-by-step demonstrations to understand how to imbed a pattern using a variety of watercolor techniques. These include wet wash, blending, glazing and dry brush to help create realistic,dynamic compositions and bring the "wow" factor to your work!

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 5

Accordion Widget

CLASS Transparent Layers: Ink Stippling Over Watercolor Washes for Depth & Atmosphere with Jessica Daigle

This immersive workshop guides students through the creation of a multi-layered illustration that emphasizes transparency, contrast, and expressive color. Participants will begin by developing highly detailed stippled ink drawings on Dura-Lar, exploring patience, precision, and mark-making to build texture, value, and form. They will then layer watercolor washes onto the paper beneath, thoughtfully considering hue, saturation, and composition. Through this dynamic interaction, the final piece achieves a luminous, dimensional quality, revealing depth, movement, and rich visual complexity.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Classroom 6

Accordion Widget

CLASS Tulips in Charcoal and Chalk with M. Joy Lemon

Dive into classical charcoal-and-chalk techniques to transform tulips into luminous, three-dimensional works of art, and capture the graceful curve of petals, the interplay of light and shadow, and the rich depth of a wide value range, while gaining skills that can be easily applied to any subject of interest.

Through guided demonstrations and personal support, you will learn how to prepare materials, develop a block-in drawing, transfer your composition, mass in shadow shapes, and softly turn form with sensitive, textureless shading, all while honing your sensitivity to proportion and value. This workshop is open to all skill levels.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens - Sensory Garden Courtyard

Accordion Widget

CLASS Getting to the Root of It (watercolor) with Lara Call Gastinger

Embrace the challenges of observing and drawing a tangle of roots. Learn how to first draw and then paint clumps of roots in watercolor. We will distinguish between the larger dominant roots down to the smaller root hairs. We will work on some light watercolor washes plus detailed brush control.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Denver Botanic Gardens -Woodland Mosaic Garden (enclosure)

SAT, OCT 3, 9AM-10:30AM

Accordion Widget

LECTURE Catie Michel-TBD (using digital tools in enhance your botanicals)

Details available June 1.

Denver Botanic Gardens - Auditorium

SAT, OCT 3, 10:45AM-12PM

Accordion Widget

LECTURE - TO BE ANNOUNCED

Details available June 1.

Denver Botanic Gardens - Auditorium

SAT, OCT 3, 12PM-1PM

Accordion Widget

Saturday Deli/Salad Lunch Buffet

Details available June 1.

Halcyon Hotel

SAT, OCT 3, 1PM-4:30PM

Accordion Widget

TOUR Denver University Arboretum

Details available June 1.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

SAT, OCT 3, 1PM-2:30PM

Accordion Widget

LECTURE TO BE ANNOUNCED

Details available June 1.

Denver Botanic Gardens - Auditorium

SAT, OCT 3, 2:30PM-4PM

Accordion Widget

LECTURE TO BE ANNOUNCED

Details available June 1.

Denver Botanic Gardens - Auditorium

SAT, OCT 3, 5PM-7PM

Accordion Widget

Art Bazaar and Artist Sales

The Art Bazaar on Saturday evening before the banquet gives you the options to donate, sell your items, and snatch up new treasures. All are opportunities for you to benefit while supporting ASBA’s mission.

Artist Sales: ASBA members can request a table for yourself or for your group to sell items during the Art Bazaar and donate 30% of your sale proceeds to ASBA. Registration is required to reserve a sales table. The number of tables available are listed under 'SESSION CAPACITY'.

Note: only register for this session if you are reserving a table. No registration is required to attend.

A cash bar will be available during this event.

SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes (Only if you are reserving a table)

Art Bazaar - Halcyon Hotel - Ballroom Foyer
Artist Sales - Halcyon Hotel - Nest

SAT, OCT 3, 7:30PM-9:30PM

Accordion Widget

Saturday Evening Banquet and Awards Presentations

Details available June 1.
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Halcyon Hotel - Ballroom

POST CONFERENCE

SUN, OCT 4 - TUE OCT 6, 9AM-4PM

Accordion Widget

WORKSHOP Combining Color Pencil and Watercolor to Create Luminous Botanical Drawings with David Morrison

This three day-workshop will focus on process and techniques of combining color pencils and watercolor. The methodology we will use is a grisaille technique to develop the drawing. Afterwards, we will apply transparent layers of watercolor and colored pencils to enhance the richness and depth of color.

Halcyon Hotel - Marble

Accordion Widget

WORKSHOP The Magic of Light with Mary Dillon

This workshop I invite you to see your botanical subjects in a new light. Through transparent washes, tonal balance, and subtle colour shifts, you will learn how to use light to create clarity, vitality, and depth. Working with a limited palette of warm and cool transparent colours, we will explore wet, damp, and dry techniques to bring luminosity to our painting.The Magic of Light is an ideal opportunity for artists who want their work to feel brighter, fresher, and more expressive.

SESSION CAPACITY: 14
SESSION REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Yes

Halcyon Hotel -Linear