About the Artist
Lotus McElfish is one of the growing community of artists who is dedicated to the contemporary renaissance of botanical art, updating an historically significant art form which played a vital role in documenting the discoveries of early European explorers. She is self-taught and currently is working in graphite and watercolors to illustrate the Rare and Endangered plants of the Texas Hill Country. Lotus has shared her journeys of finding and creating plant portraits in a number of displays or talk/slide shows including the Texas Plant Conservation Conference, the 2006 Annual NPSOT meeting and the Department of the Interior.
In May 2009 she was invited to speak at the Department of the Interior Museum in Washington, D.C., where
two of her paintings were in an Endangered Species exhibit. The really interesting part is that McElfish, after watching President Obama's prime time speech to Congress, sent him an email urging him to maintain funding for the arts in his new budget; she also sent his family a catalog of the Endangered exhibit, which was "right in their backyard". Two days later, the president gave a speech at the Department of the Interior - and later that week she received an invitation to travel to D.C.! She presented a slide show of her field work and a workshop on graphite pencil techniques on the final day of the exhibit last May.
"Sometimes I get inspired by something I see in the media" says Lotus, "and I have learned to act on those inspirations. You just never know what might happen." This was how she started her Endangered Species project in 2005, getting a grant from the American Society of Botanical Artists to paint the rare plants of the Texas Hill Country after reading about and seeing the effects of urban sprawl on Central Texas landscapes.
When Lotus finds a plant specimen, she documents it with location, date, growth specifications and identification. She often does a detailed graphite sketch and takes a photograph to archive the plant’s information. She uses two dominant techniques, water-glazing and fracturing, in the completed watercolor plant portrait. If possible, she works from a live specimen either in her studio or in the field. Her renderings of a plant not only reproduce the reality of the plant in structure and form, but also illuminate the grace, textures and details that both educate and captivate the viewer. Lotus has done illustrations for numerous periodicals and books, shown in galleries and juried exhibits and teaches graphite drawing and watercolor painting.
In 2011 one of her works was juried (out of 2,500 entries) into "Blossoms II-Art of Flowers" at the Naples Museum of Art in Naples, Florida. She continues using her art in conservation, entering juried exhibits, winning awards, and educating landowners and the public about native, rare and endangered plants.
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Lotus McElfish was transplanted to Texas in 2004 and lives with her artisan husband at SummerFish Studios in Spring Branch near Canyon Lake. Her work may be viewed at the Rockport Center for the Arts, or online at www.amsocbotartists.org, www.botanicalartists.com, www.basncr.org or rmsbartists.blogspot.com.
Artist Statement
When it comes to nature and specifically plants, the words ‘exploration, challenge, survival and childlike wonderment’ come to mind. When I paint a plant portrait I don't want just scientific realism but I want to capture all those complexities and I want the viewer to see the magic of its existence.. I'm not afraid to show the imperfections such as the caterpillar-eaten leaf and I will include the unseen roots that connect the plant to a complex system of which we are also a part. When I started late in life to document our rare and endangered species it drew me into educating the public and in turn I developed a stronger sense of environmental responsibility. Actually, the field trips in locating their natural or protected habitat, meeting/working with the botanist, landowners or park personnel are my favorite part of this documentation. I love combining my art with conservation awareness and bringing to the fore the people who are making a difference. So I keep learning and keep reaching for that "wow" portrait.
Press Information
Exhibitions
One Woman Shows
◆Adams Ave Gallery; Adams Ave, Austin TX Nov. 2 2007-Jan. 7 2008
◆Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, Kerrville TX May 3-June 3 2012
“Texas Botanicals-Endangered and Not So Much” Co-Show with husband Victor Summers
Juried Exhibitions
◆Wimberley Valley Art League, Wimberley Community Center, Nov.-Jan 2012
◆“Blossom II-Art of Flowers” National Exhibition , Naples Museum of Art opens
Feb. 9, 2011
◆“Art and Conservation: Our Hidden Treasures, Boerne, TX Spring 2011
◆“Double Exposure” Wimberley Art League (Sept 28-Nov.30 2010)
◆"Johnson City Wildflower Days Fine Art Show"; Johnson City, TX (April 16-18, 2010)
◆"A Closer Look at Cactus & Succulents"; Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Ironwood Gallery (April 4-June 7, 2009)
◆Wimberley Valley Art League, Wimberley Community Center; Wimberley, TX
Feb. 7-April 13, 2009 3rd Place
◆”Lasting Impressions” Canyon Lake Art Guild Annual Show, 2nd Place Watercolor 3/08
◆“Endangered Species: Flora and Fauna in Peril” National Touring Exhibition:
-Wildling Art Museum, Los Olivos, CA (Jun 22 - Sep 14, 2008)
-Department of the Interior Museum, Washington, D.C. (Nov 1, 2008 - May 16, 2009)
◆"Currents"; Rockport Center for the Arts; Rockport, TX 2007,2008
◆Wimberley Valley Art League, Wimberley Community Center,
Wimberley, TX Dec. 2007-Jan. 2008, Feb-Apr 2008, Feb-Apr 2009, Aug-Oct 2009
Invitational Exhibitions
◆ Art & Conservation Exhibit; The Cibolo Nature Center; Boerne,TX April 2009
◆"Hidden Treasures: Art & Conservation"; The Cibolo Nature Center; Boerne,TX 2007
◆"Sign on Harvest Moon; Authors and Artists"; Native Plant Society of Texas
Boerne Chapter 2007
Gallery Representation
◆ Kerr Art & Cultural Center (Gift Shop), Kerrville, TX 2010
◆ Kirchman Gallery; Johnson City, TX 2010
◆ Rockport Center for the Arts; Rockport, Tx 2010
◆"Arts Encounters"; Benini Foundation Gallery and Sculpture Ranch;
Johnson City, TX 2007
◆ Manor House Gallery; Boerne, TX 2006
Publications
◆"Personal Palette" Newsletter of BASNCR March 2010
◆"Wildflower Watch" "Lotus McElfish Goes to Washington" Newsletter of ASBA December 2009
- http://huntbot.andrew.cmu.edu/ASBA/ASBA-Journal/ASBA-Journal-15-4.pdf page 15
◆”Local artist paints plants for sake of public awareness” San Marcos Daily Record, April 5, 2009
◆"The Botanical Artist" "The Adventure of the Big Red Sage" Newsletter of ASBA June 2008
- http://huntbot.andrew.cmu.edu/ASBA/ASBA-Newsletter/ASBA-NL-47.pdf page 13
◆"Arte a la Carte” Canyon Lake Art Guild Cookbook 2008
◆"Wildflower"; The Magazine of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center;
Austin,TX Fall 2007 Click here to see article
◆"Body and Self, Partners in Movement” by Sandra Minton
Anatomical and interior art for book
◆“Food for Life” by Whole Health Publications-Cover and interior art
◆"Healing Currents"; Journal of the Whole Health Institute, cover art
Professional Affiliations
◆American Society of Botanical Artists (http://huntbot.andrew.cmu.edu/ASBA/)
◆Botanical Art Society of the National Capital Region (www.basncr.org)
◆Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists (www.botanicalartists.org)
◆Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (www.wildflower.org)
◆Native Plant Society of Texas (www.npsot.org)
◆Wimberley Valley Art League (www.wimberleyartleague.com)
◆Rockport Center for the Arts (www.rockportartcenter.com)
◆Botanicalartists.com (www.botanicalartists.com)
◆Selah Bamberger Ranch (www.bambergerranch.org)
