Flora and Fauna, Portraits in Nature by Donna Calcavecchio
November through December
Artist Reception: Friday, November 10, 4:30-7pm
Donna Calcavecchio has a BFA with a major in illustration from Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts and has worked as a graphic designer for the past 30 years, winning several design awards along the way. Her expertise encompasses all aspects of graphic design, including publication and website design. Several years ago her interest in illustration was reignited after taking a workshop with world-renowned botanical illustrator Wendy Hollander. One workshop led to many more with Wendy, and then more with equally renowned Carol Woodin. Several classes at the New York Botanical Garden followed, the latest being an exceptionally informative, challenging, and rewarding class in plant morphology with the late Dick Rauh.
A Hudson Valley native, Donna became fascinated by all things in nature as a child and credits her cousin Bill’s nature walks with stimulating her interest. She has an extensive collection of somewhat peculiar but interesting rocks, seashells, twigs, wasp galls, bark and lichen, acorns, even some dried leaves and blossoms. There’s always something on hand to sketch. Her main interest has always centered on drawing botanicals with colored pencils. However, when she was asked by Scenic Hudson to do a series of drawings in pen and ink for a new website, the unfamiliar medium proved to be an exciting departure from her usual go-to pencils and was quite challenging as it included native flora as well as native fauna; hence the name of this show: Flora and Fauna, Portraits in Nature.