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Classes & Workshops

Morris Arboretum & Gardens

Philadelphia, PA​

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Botanical Art Exploration

Five Tuesdays

October 21 - Nov 18, 2025

6:30 - 8:30 PM ONLINE

Join us online for a five-week Botanical Art Exploration, where you’ll create detailed study sheets centered around a plant, plant family, or theme of your choice. Using graphite and watercolor, we’ll dive into the finest details of your subject, including its structure, growing habit, and natural habitat. Throughout the course, you’ll learn essential drawing skills and painting techniques to help you accurately render botanical subjects, while also gaining insight into the exciting world of contemporary botanical art. This class welcomes all levels and offers a supportive environment for both beginners and those looking to refine their botanical illustration skills.

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REGISTER HERE:

https://www.morrisarboretum.org/learn-discover/adults

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Wayne Art Center

Wayne, PA​​​​​​

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Botanical Art in Drybrush Watercolor

Saturday, November 15, 2025

10:00 - 4:00 PM ON-SITE​

Experience the beauty of autumn’s natural forms through the refined technique of drybrush watercolor, a method cherished by botanical artists for its precision and subtlety. In this class, you’ll explore the elegant structures of dried seed pods, leaves, and other seasonal specimens, learning to capture their intricate details with disciplined brushwork.

 

We’ll start with foundational exercises to help you master the drybrush technique, ensuring you feel comfortable and confident as you progress. Then, you’ll select an autumn subject of your choice—whether a curling leaf, a sculptural seed pod, or another natural treasure—to create a detailed botanical study.

 

Join us for an immersive painting experience that will deepen your observation skills, expand your watercolor abilities, and celebrate the quiet beauty of nature’s autumn remnants.

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REGISTER HERE:

https://wayneart.org/​​

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Mt Cuba Center 

Hockessin, DE​​​​​​​

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Spring Botanical Art Series

12 Thursdays

10 AM – 1 PM ON-SITE

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Learning to Draw Spring Wildflowers

April 2 - 23, 2026

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Wildflowers in Color

April 30 - May 21

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Refined Botanical Drawing

May 28 - June 25

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Mt. Cuba’s unique collections of native plants are a natural fit for the art of botanical drawing. Using specimens from Mt. Cuba’s gardens, learn how to draw flowers, foliage, and stems realistically in this entry-level program. Start with the elements of line, shape, and form, and progress to developing your own personal drawing style. Begin with Learning to Draw Spring Wildflowers or dive into the upper-level courses if you already have the basics.

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REGISTER HERE:

https://mtcubacenter.org/event/spring-botanical-art-series-package/

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Fleisher Art Memorial 

Philadelphia, PA​​​​

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​​​Botanical Art: Winter

10 Thursdays

Jan 8 - Mar 12, 2026

6:30 - 8:30 PM ONLINE​

Explore drawing and painting botanical subjects, with demonstrations and Q&A. Emphasis on accuracy and dry brush watercolor technique.

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REGISTER HERE:​

fleisher.org

Longwood Gardens

Kennett Square, PA​

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Mushroom Studies and Sketches

Saturday, October 25, 2025

9:00 - 3:00 PM ON-SITE

Whether you're captivated by the intricate gills of a chanterelle, the velvety surface of a boletus, or the striking forms of woodland fungi, this workshop will help you develop the skills to observe and render these marvelous mushrooms in stunning detail accurately.

 

Using the medium of your choice—be it watercolor, colored pencil, or graphite—explore essential techniques for capturing texture, shape, and shading to bring your botanical illustrations to life. Saylor will guide you through the fundamentals of composition, color mixing, and field journaling, so the next time you encounter mushrooms in nature, your sketchbook will reflect their unique character with confidence and artistry.

 

This class is a celebration of nature’s quiet wonders—come ready to deepen your connection with the natural world, refine your illustration techniques, and embrace the artistry of fungi! 

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​REGISTER HERE:

https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/events/botanical-art-mushroom-studies-and-sketches

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Open Botanical Art Studio

Four Mondays

November 10 - December 1, 2025

1:00 - 4:00 PM ON-SITE

Step into a collaborative, open, inspiring studio space where artists of all levels can grow and practice their skills in botanical art, experiment with new mediums and materials—or a mix of materials—create pieces of any size, fill their sketchbook, bring in botanical works-in-progress to advance, and so much more. 

With a meeting each week through the month of June, students will focus on new botanical materials each studio session and use these materials as a reference for their art. Instructor Margaret Saylor will teach a new art skill, then work with students individually to help them in their botanical art journey. 

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​REGISTER HERE:

https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/events/open-botanical-art-studio

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The Artful Wild Patreon is a wonderful way to keep your creative momentum going long after a class ends. It offers a more personal, ongoing connection to art practice, with monthly themes, curated reference photos, color palettes, and guided prompts that help you continue observing, sketching, and painting from nature. Whether you’ve taken an online workshop or an in-person class, it’s designed to extend your learning—keeping your hand moving, your curiosity alive, and your creative confidence growing within a supportive community of fellow artists.  

All artwork and images on this site are the exclusive property of Margaret Saylor and are protected under the United States and International Copyright laws. The images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted, or manipulated without the written permission of Margaret Saylor. All rights reserved.

 

©Margaret Saylor

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