This Week at Phipps: July 1 – 7

By Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

There's always something new to see and do at Phipps! This weekly blog post provides a run-down of the latest happenings so you can plan your visit. Events listed below require no advance registration unless noted otherwise. 

Open Daily: 

• NOW OPEN: Summer Flower Show: Under the Sea
  Starting Sat., May 4, dive into the magical underworld of the ocean with whimsical displays of an array of sea creatures, unique plant foliage and fantastic flora.
• NOW OPEN: Butterfly Forest
  Starting Sat., May 4, watch colorful butterflies break free of their chrysalises to soar and glide among beautiful Phipps blooms. One may even land on you!
• Sea Creature Creations: A Youth Art Exhibit
  In this annual exhibit in our Welcome Center, view sea creature creations from The Fairchild Challenge student participants.
• Highlands Flora Project: Fraged Plants of Southwestern Pennsylvania 
  Now open in Phipps' Garden Center, plant lovers of all ages can enjoy stunning illustrations of foraged plants commonly found in southwestern Pennsylvania. Foraged Plants of Southwestern Pennsylvania is part of the Flora Project, a collaboration between Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Botanical Art and Illustration Program and the Allegheny Highlands Botanical Art Society.
• Youth Climate Advocacy Committee Sustainable Art and Fashion Gallery
  Now open in the Center for Sustainable Landscapes, view the handcrafted sustainable pieces crafted by Phipps’ YCAC members, who are passionate about sharing eco-friendly fashion and art habits and while encouraging youth to implement this in their own creative works.
• Tropical Forest Hawai‘i: Aloha ‘Aina
  Tropical Forest Hawai‘i: Aloha ‘Aina invites guests to take an exciting, immersive journey through the rich history, nature and culture of the Hawaiian archipelago. 
• Planets Earth Virtual Exhibit
  A dynamic exhibit at the Center for Sustainable Landscapes (and now online) addresses the pressing environmental issues of our time and proposes a new way of thinking about how to solve them.

Mon., July 1: 

• ​Illustrated Nature Journaling | 2 – 4 p.m.   
  Join watercolor artist Leslie Fehling for a look into the world of illustrated nature journaling. In this 4-week class, she’ll share inspiring examples from her own watercolor sketchbooks and offer ideas for creating a nature journal of your own!

Tues., July 2:

• Botanical Drawing I: Foundations | 6 – 9 p.m. 
  Botanical illustration differs from traditional drawing because it captures a subject with scientific accuracy through observation, form and detail. Learn to identify basic shapes in nature and use a step-by-step process to create the illusion of depth through light, shadow and perspective.

Wed., July 3: 

• In-Person Story Time | 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
  Kids will love visiting Phipps to listen to our storyteller weave tales about gardens, fruits, vegetables, animals and other fun topics. Attend weekly sessions with a special child in your life.
• Painting the Beauty of Birds in Watercolor and Gouache | 6 – 9 p.m. 
  Birds have been a favorite subject of many artists for a reason. They are elegant, colorful and part of our everyday lives. In this workshop, we’ll explore both approaches to painting birds, using limited palettes for each medium will allow you to focus on learning the unique qualities and techniques of each medium so that you can create bird paintings that really sing!  

Sun., July 7: 

• Flowers, Jewels and Gold I and II | 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 
  In this class we'll explore the medieval and renaissance decorative art featuring flowers, insects and gems on golder borders, and then students will create their own designs. This style of art tended to be much more realistic than most medieval book art, and it led directly to what the botanical illustion that we have today.

Photos © Paul Vladuchick