I'm a professional studio artist who paints plants, fungi, and the wider natural world — and teaches others to look at them as carefully as I do. The work is quiet and detailed, made for curious observers.
The heart of botanical art lies in making plants not just beautiful, but knowable. My work bridges scientific accuracy with artistic mastery, teaching viewers to truly see the natural world around them.
Almost Spring Hydrangea quercifolia
Rabbit's Foot Fern Davallia fejeensis
Chestnut Bolete Gyroporus castaneus
Chicken of the Woods Laetiporus sulphureus
Purple Brittlegill Russula atropurpurea
Lion's Mane Hericium erinaceus
My work travels to galleries, garden institutions, and botanical venues where plant life, fungi, and place take center stage. Here you’ll find current and upcoming exhibitions and events where you can see these pieces beyond the studio.
PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW
PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY OF BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATORS
FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 8, 2026
I work primarily in graphite and watercolor on vellum, and egg tempera on panel. The mediums are deliberate and slow — a good match for subjects that reveal themselves gradually.
CLASSES
& WORKSHOPS
I teach small-group classes and workshops in botanical drawing and painting that focus on close observation, clear technique, and steady skill-building. Using mediums like graphite, watercolor, and egg tempera, I offer online and in-person sessions with demonstrations and hands-on practice so students can grow their skills, understand their materials, and build a comfortable, sustainable studio practice of their own.
The Artful Wild is a Patreon subscription created by professional studio artists Margaret Saylor and Kelly Leahy Radding to share our love of plants, birds, fungi, and place through ongoing art content. Margaret focuses on plants and fungi, while Kelly brings in birds and animals, and together we explore classic drawing techniques, studio practices, and more through behind-the-scenes process, demonstrations, and resources for steady, observation-based art.
IN THE STUDIO
Right now I'm deep into a new body of egg tempera paintings on panel — working with plant forms I've been foraging and studying for years. Alongside that, a series of graphite on vellum pieces exploring fungi subjects is taking shape. Both bodies of work are headed toward a 2027 exhibition at Wayne Art Center.