While the granddad sketches could be where the crawdads sing, Michael Campbell mostly sketches flora in Longmont where he also puts his artwork up in the Firehouse Art Center.

Longtime Longmont resident Michael Campbell is a dedicated pencil artist whose passion lies in depicting the natural world’s intricate beauty and teaching the scientific artistic rendering of botany. 

Campbell, a seasoned artist and instructor, has a unique journey that spans decades, traversing the realms of graphic design in his former career and more recently the world of botanical art. 

Campbell worked for the University of Colorado for 25 years as a graphic art director. During the end of this period, he stumbled upon the School of Botanical Art & Illustration at the Denver Botanic Gardens, and botanical art immediately captured his interest, sparking a fresh passion within him.

Campbell’s unwavering commitment to botanical art drove him to obtain both a certificate and an advanced diploma at the School of Botanical Art & Illustration which not only honed his drawing skills but also opened doors for him professionally. Campbell’s expertise gained him a position as an instructor at Front Range Community College and then at the very institution that had ignited his passion for botanical art — the Denver Botanic Gardens.

“So now I teach pencil drawing, and some other stuff in the program. And that’s sort of like my second career. I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out. But leaving CU is probably the best thing I ever did,” Campbell said.

Campbell’s dedication to mastering the art of botanical illustration led him to invest both time and effort into honing his skills, a journey that spanned almost eight years and included extensive coursework. Campbell’s age, nearly 70, is no barrier to his passion for teaching and creating art. 

“When you spend all that time going to meetings, and marketing, and organizations, and academia and all that stuff. The natural world and drawing the natural world, it’s just so soulfully fulfilling,” Campbell said. “It’s just endlessly interesting to me. And the older I get, the more I focus on the tiny little things. I can spend hours just trying to get the shape of acorns correct, or pinecones.”

The rigor of botanical art demands precision and accuracy, especially when collaborating with botanists. Campbell’s dedication to portraying plants authentically reflects his deep respect for the scientific aspect of botanical illustration. Campbell’s preference for drawing with graphite over painting is the simplicity of using something as slight as a pencil to create something so detailed and exquisite.

“Pencil is just so direct. All you need is any kind of pencil and a piece of paper. That’s all you need,” Campbell said. “I love the directness and the simpleness of it. Even when it’s so subtle, and you can be so elegant with it.”

Campbell believes that botanical art offers a deeper connection to the subject matter than mere photography. Through his artwork, he strives to convey not only the accuracy of the plant but also his personal interpretation and perspective. His illustrations provide viewers with a comprehensive understanding of the plant’s anatomy and beauty.

For four decades, Michael Campbell has called Longmont, Colorado his home. His connection to this community and its natural treasures has not only fueled his passion for botanical art but has also become an integral part of his creative journey. 

Campbell’s involvement in documenting heritage trees in Ireland has translated into a unique local pursuit. He scours Longmont’s natural spaces to find specimens native to Ireland, which serve as subjects for his illustrations. Within Longmont’s flora, Campbell has found such subjects as the Scots Pine and English Oak trees. 

“There’s a whole science behind this thing called the spring gentian, which comes up for like two, three weeks in April and May. It’s an Alpine, the deepest, darkest blue I’ve ever seen like velvet, I cannot match the color. But that’s probably my favorite,” Campbell said. “I started illustrating bird’s nests with graphite. And I still do it. There are a couple in that exhibit. But I just find those very, very therapeutic.”

Nature and art lovers can find Campbell’s botanical art sketches on the second floor of the Firehouse Art Center until the end of September.

Portland-based artist Alexis Hilliard describes her collages as “visual symphonies,” blending numerous photographs and archival materials to create harmonious compositions. “Sometimes I use whole photos, not cut up much. That’s like sampling a bass line,” she tells Colossal. “Other times, I’m only using a tiny color swatch, so that’s more like adding a simple note into the mix.”

An avid collector of images, Hilliard scours everything from historical archives to oil paintings to Pinterest boards, amassing a collection of tens of thousands that span a wide variety of themes and content. And she is also drawn to working in a variety of scales. “When I first started, I worked a lot with WWI and WWII photos, but the collage technique itself quickly became the point…There is something to making large art pieces, the ones that surround your peripheral sight and evoke the sublime,” she says.

Hilliard explores a range of themes that tie together history, the volatility of nature, grandiosity, vulnerability, and more. She often emphasizes focal point, like running stags or a silhouetted couple seated on a bench, in the foreground of vast and dramatic landscapes. “I’m not the best at perspective… but that also gives me the shameless ability to add 8 vanishing points with reckless abandon,” she says. “It’s a fun way to play with perceived rules and break away from expectations—even your own.”

Hilliard documents much of her process, which you can find on Instagram.

“Volcano Study No. 2” (2021), collage on panel, 6 x 6 inches

“White Stags” (2020), collage on panel, 18 x 14 inches

“With the Current” (2016), collage on panel, 48 x 36 inches

“Portrait of Pele” (2022), collage on panel, 10 x 10 inches

“Foolish Decisions (2023), collage on panel, 18 x 14 inches

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article In Detailed Paper Collages, Alexis Hilliard Delves Into Depth and Drama appeared first on Colossal.

What was your first purchase?

The first works of art we “collected” were a small group of trinkets that the artist Joseph Cornell mailed to my father Robert Schoelkopf, who was an art dealer and was working with Joseph in the 1960s. They are amusing and very spontaneous works.

Sidewalk in Vicksburg, Miss. (Variant) (1936). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.” width=”1024″ height=”819″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Andrew-walker-evans-1024×819.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-walker-evans-300×240.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-walker-evans-1536×1228.jpg 1536w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-walker-evans-50×40.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-walker-evans-1920×1535.jpg 1920w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-walker-evans.jpg 2000w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>

Walker Evans, Sidewalk in Vicksburg, Miss. (Variant) (1936). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.

The next work was a lovely photograph by Walker Evans, which was a gift from Walker to me when I was about nine years old and remains a treasured object. My brother and I own many works by Walker Evans because my father was a chief proponent of fine art photographs in general and Evans in particular.

Works by Anish Kapoor, left, and Rolph Scarlett in Schoelkopf’s home. Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.

What was your most recent purchase?

My wife, Grace, and I bought a suite of works on paper by Anish Kapoor at Frieze London in late 2022. We adore Kapoor’s work in all media and think he is a genius.

Tell us about a favorite work in your collection.

My favorite artwork is a John Marin watercolor from 1939, which we acquired from our friend Lisa Marin, the artist’s granddaughter. A primary passion for us as collectors is works on paper—particularly those of the first half of the 20th century. I love the immediacy and elegance of this watercolor of Maine—the pigment is fresh and varied. During this period of his career, Marin was so accomplished as a watercolorist that it reads in a very jazzy and free way.

John Marin, Untitled (Landscape) (1939). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.

Which works or artists are you hoping to add to your collection this year?

I love the American Precisionists, despite their rarity, and I would love to own an important work by Charles Sheeler. Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, and Georgia O’Keeffe are other favorites. I am totally priced out of the market at this point—the Hartley I would want to live with is $20 million plus, and the O’Keeffe more. So, I missed checking that off the list. I am also a huge fan of John Frederick Kensett and love his late work from around 1870, and I love the work of the Pre-Raphaelites, and on and on and on.

March, April (1929). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.” width=”1000″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Andrew-arthur-dove-1000×1024.jpg 1000w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-arthur-dove-293×300.jpg 293w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-arthur-dove-1500×1536.jpg 1500w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-arthur-dove-50×50.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-arthur-dove-1875×1920.jpg 1875w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-arthur-dove.jpg 2000w” sizes=”(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px”>

Arthur Dove, March, April (1929). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.

What is the most valuable work of art that you own?

There are many worth a fair amount, but I never think about what the works we collect or live with at home are worth. That is a slippery slope for a dealer and it is better to wall off the value from the enjoyment. That, of course, will probably serve our children well.

Where do you buy art most frequently?

If Grace and I buy something together, it is usually when we are on a busman’s holiday checking out an art fair. I am afflicted with the collecting gene, as my friend and retired partner Susan Menconi used to say—so I would buy 10 things a day if I had the resources.

EAT (2022). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.” width=”866″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/andrew-Richard-Estes-866×1024.jpg 866w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/andrew-Richard-Estes-254×300.jpg 254w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/andrew-Richard-Estes-1299×1536.jpg 1299w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/andrew-Richard-Estes-42×50.jpg 42w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/andrew-Richard-Estes.jpg 1464w” sizes=”(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px”>

Richard Estes, EAT (2022). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.

Is there a work you regret purchasing?

There are a few, but I still enjoy owning them.

What work do you have hanging above your sofa? What about in your bathroom?

Above our sofa in the family room is a gorgeous work on paper by Tara Donovan. I love her work across media, particularly the sculptural works. I hope to be able to live with one sometime as I enjoy and am attracted to her work every time I see it. We don’t hang important works In the bathrooms, but I love the Jeffrey Milstein photograph that hangs in our powder room.

What is the most impractical work of art you own?

It’s hard to say what might make a work of art impractical, as we don’t own anything huge or otherwise cumbersome. We do own some 19th-century photographs that we keep in cases and don’t enjoy frequently because we are concerned about keeping them safe from sunlight. It is harder to store and enjoy those, of course, but it is still possible and practical, I suppose.

Autumn Cascade (ca. 1910). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.” width=”1019″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-1019×1024.jpg 1019w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-300×300.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-150×150.jpg 150w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-1528×1536.jpg 1528w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-50×50.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-256×256.jpg 256w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-1910×1920.jpg 1910w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley-96×96.jpg 96w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/09/Andrew-Marsden-Hartley.jpg 2000w” sizes=”(max-width: 1019px) 100vw, 1019px”>

Marsden Hartley, Autumn Cascade (ca. 1910). Courtesy of Andrew Schoelkopf.

What work do you wish you had bought when you had the chance?

Stuart Davis, Marsden Hartley, Arthur Dove, and O’Keeffe, among a great many others.

If you could steal one work of art without getting caught, what would it be?

The Artist in His Museum by Charles Willson Peale. It is a masterpiece and really says a lot about the artists and art dealers of yesterday and today. I adore that picture and the whimsy of it, even though it was painted in 1822.

PS: I am obsessed by Walton Ford and would love to own a large watercolor!

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