SUNY Orange hosts exhibit of botanical portraits at Mindy Ross Gallery

NEWBURGH — An exquisite art show is presently in the Mindy Ross Gallery and will remain on view through May 30. Botanical portraits by James Douglas Milne is an exhibit of drawings in watercolor pencil, color pencil, and graphite that are so exact, a viewer may feel the plants could be taken out of their frames.
Twenty-seven botanical portraitsUnlike often-seen botanical drawings which look like they only belong in a book, these works while perfect in their rendering, demonstrate a quality of reality, that the artist created the artworks from life.
“The majority of my present work is illustrations of single flowers or fruit, which is why I came to think of them as portraits," Milne said. "I imagine the whole process of selecting a model, establishing proper lighting, etc. is not unlike completing a human portrait.”
Milne has a BS in interior design from La Roche College in Pittsburgh. That coupled with the Certificate of Horticulture which he acquired by studying at the New York Botanical Garden and his technical and artistic abilities have given him the knowledge to draw these works.
Twenty-seven botanical portraits in various sizes are included in the exhibit. They depict not only the mature blossomed flower or ripe fruit, but a few roots are on display.
Reception and master classThe reception for the show is scheduled for Saturday, April 7, from 3 to 5:30 p.m., during which music will provided by Geoff Hamburg, pianist.
In addition, a master class, “Drawing a Harbinger of Spring, Pansies,” will be given by Milne on Friday, April 6, from 12 to 2:45 p.m. in the gallery and the OBTC Great Room 101 which are both in Kaplan Hall.
The exhibit, reception, and master class are free and open to the public.
EssentialsGallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays until 6 p.m.
The Mindy Ross Gallery is on the first floor of Kaplan Hall which is located at the corner of Grand and First Streets on the Newburgh campus of SUNY Orange.
Free, secure parking is available in Kaplan Hall parking garage entered at 73 First St.
Questions may be directed to Cultural Affairs at 845 341-4891/9386 or cultural@sunyorange.edu.
Information is available through the website at www.sunyorange.edu/culturalaffairs.