Southern Ontario Nature and Science Illustrators (SONSI) 2011 Exhibit
Royal Botanical Gardens, 680 Plains Road West, Burlington, Ontario (Mezzanine)
Exhibit dates: May 1 to May 28.
Art by (L to R) Fiona Reid, Alida Cameron, Glendon Mellow, Celia Godkin. Design by Jennifer Osborn.
The Southern Ontario Nature and Science Illustrators (SONSI) are pleased to announce their inaugural exhibit of nature-related art and illustration, to be held at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington ON, from May 1-28, 2011.
SONSI was formed in 2010 by Emily Damstra, a Kitchener-based illustrator who realized that a significant community of science illustrators and artists exists here in Southern Ontario, and deemed the time right to unite them to a common purpose of raising the profile of this specialized subset of the illustration, art, and design profession.
Nature and Science Illustration is all around us, even though the general public may not be as aware of it as they are of more high-profile types of art. We see it on web sites, in zoos, nature centers, and museums, on posters & brochures in the doctor, dentist, or vet’s office, in school books, calendars, note cards, magazines or in any one of thousands of illustrated books for children and adults that capture the wonders of the natural world and science ideas.
Science illustrators work with publishers, designers, art directors, scientists, advertisers, and educators in developing visuals that communicate vital information as they illuminate the beauties of nature and the wonders of science. Subject matter ranges from nature and biology thru to astronomy and the latest conceptual thinking. What all science illustrations have in common is an exacting level of accuracy and faithfulness to the subject or concept, combined with a high degree of artistic skill and judgment in bringing the subject to life in a striking manner.
The approximately two dozen inaugural SONSI members range from seasoned professionals to recent graduates of programs such as the University of Toronto’s Master of Science in Biomedical Communication, and Sheridan Institute’s Bachelor of Applied Arts (Illustration). Most members live either in or between the Greater Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo areas, with a few further afield in Sarnia, Southampton, and towns east of Kingston.
The exhibit is for all art lovers as well as everyone who loves nature’s wonders and harbours curiosity about the natural world. Viewers will see a variety of botanical and zoological illustrations in addition to images of prehistoric life, science concepts, dissections and more.
The back of the postcard invitation, design by Jennifer Osborn.
For information about the exhibit venue and directions, please visit www.rbg.ca.
-Official press release written by Kathryn Chorney.