​Hello! I’m Allison Finch, and I’m honored to introduce myself as the new president of the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators. I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to help shape our next chapter together and to continue celebrating the beauty and importance of plants through art.

I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about where I find inspiration for my botanical work. Just today, I returned from a steamy, 10,722-step walk through White Clay Creek State Park in Newark, Delaware. The park is a treasure trove of native flora, and I found myself captivated by the beauty of the landscape. Fields of yellow and white wildflowers swayed in the breeze, while the trail wound through cool, shady hardwood forests. It’s always humbling to witness nature’s quiet resilience and complexity.

As I walked, I found myself not only admiring the flowers above ground but wondering about what lies beneath—how these plants manage to thrive here. How do they draw water and nutrients through the soil? What do their root systems look like? How deep do they go? These questions stayed with me, and they couldn’t come at a more perfect time.

As many of you know, our next major exhibit will be at the 2026 PHS Flower Show, and our theme will highlight native plants and their root systems. It’s a fascinating and vital topic—one that encourages us to look below the surface, both literally and artistically.

For me, preparing for this exhibit starts with reconnecting with the natural world.  Observing how native plants grow in their environment helps inform not only what I choose to draw but how I approach the composition and storytelling in my work. I haven’t yet decided which plant—or plants—will call me to the drawing table, but I’m already imagining the visual flow of a piece and how to represent both the visible and hidden parts of a plant's life.

I encourage each of you to take a walk, explore a park or even your backyard, and notice what grows around you. You might find your next painting not just in the bloom of a flower, but in the intricate mystery of the roots below.

I’d love to hear where you find inspiration. Please share your favorite nature spots or gardens in the comments—whether they’re grand landscapes or hidden neighborhood gems. Let’s inspire each other as we grow together toward the 2026 exhibit.
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Warmly,
Allison Finch
President, Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators