Painting Wildflowers in Watercolors

July 11 at 8 a.m. – July 12 at 4 p.m.

Instructor: Hillary Parker

Join Montana Master Naturalist and international award-winning botanical watercolor artist Hillary Parker for this fun and creative course that focuses on drawing and painting the breathtaking wildflowers, blooming in the meadows and along trails throughout Glacier National Park. With a new understanding of what supplies artists need and how to use them in the field, students will learn how to observe, identify, sketch and paint wildflowers as they respond to their natural surroundings in an artistic way. No previous art experience or hiking experience is necessary and all professional art supplies will be provided for the duration of the course. Walking/light hiking on wildflower trails and working on location outdoors will take place each day.

Meeting Place: Glacier Institute Field Camp

Itinerary: (subject to change due to trail closures and weather) 

Day 1: Field Camp in the morning & walk/light trail hike to first location in afternoon

Saturday morning, we will meet at Field Camp at 7:45am and begin at 8:00 am with coffee in the studio classroom. Introductions, basic plant anatomy, various field study/botanical study approaches, review of art kit materials and watercolor demonstrations will be covered before applying practical experience outdoors. At noon, we will load up the van and eat lunch on route to our first location for a lovely afternoon of sketching and painting field studies. We will return to Field Camp by 4pm for breaktime before dinner at 6:00pm. Often on hot days, students bring a bathing suit and walk to a nearby creek for a refreshing swim! After dinner the studio is open from 7:00pm-9:00pm for independent work on botanical paintings taken from field studies made during the day and Hillary is available to work one-on-one with students wanting more demonstrations.

Day 2: Walk/light trail hike to a new location in morning & Field Camp in afternoon

Sunday morning, breakfast will be served at 7:00am. We make lunches, clean and pack up cabins and the van departs at 8:00am for a new, breathtaking location to explore! Wildflower field studies will be sketched and painted along the trail with one-on-one support, discussions and demonstrations. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed on location before departing the trail at 12:30pm to head back to field camp. The studio is open all afternoon for continued work on field studies and botanical paintings, with further discussions and demonstrations available for support. At 3:15 pm we will finish up with a review and a fun and informal opportunity to share your work with each other, before returning all art supply kits and reference materials. The course ends at 4pm.

Notes: ALL art supplies are provided for the duration of this course. A lightweight backpack is recommended to carry art supplies, water, hat, sunscreen and lunch. A towel or lightweight, portable chair to sit on while working on location is also highly recommended.

Food: The following meals are included: Dinner on Day 1 through lunch on Day 2. 

Accommodations: One night of lodging is included with the course fee. Our student cabins are basic, hostel-style cabins with 5 single beds, bedside lights, and electrical outlets.  Students should be prepared to share a cabin with up to 4 other people, cabins are separated by gender. Couples may be paired up in the event there is ample space. We provide a bottom sheet for your bed as well as a pillow and pillow case, but please bring a warm sleeping bag.  Be sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp for night trips to the bathroom.

Park Entrance Fees: Participants are responsible for purchasing their park entry passes prior to the course. These can be purchased online at:  https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74280.

Physical Requirements: Walking/light hiking.

Recommended Reading: 

• The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws
• Wildflowers of Glacier National Park by Shannon Kimball and Peter Lesica
• Plants of the Rocky Mountains by Kershaw, MacKinnon and Pojar