artwork ©Deborah Keyser Dion

Educational opportunities are available to beginning 
and experienced botanical illustrators and other interested 
parties through workshops, lectures, exhibits and 
project-sharing meetings. 

In addition, a vital component of our educational mission is collaborative courses provided by PSBI and Arcadia University. Jointly, the two institutions provide botanical and scientific illustration classes for Philadelphia area high school students.  Classes are held at Arcadia University in the northern Philadelphia suburb of Glenside. Class size is limited to 10-12 students to allow individualized instruction.  PSBI provides all art materials, as well as supplying faculty and underwriting 

their compensation. The syllabus covers a variety of media and techniques from graphite and watercolor to colored pencil and pastel. There is no course fee to the students. All students must be in good standing at a Philadelphia high school and also be recommended by their art teacher and/or principal.  Applications are accepted in the fall. Instructors are trained professional botanical and graphic illustrators, chosen from the membership of PSBI.  The faculty includes Virginia Fitzpatrick, an arts educator and administrator who has taught art skills through the Doctoral level in colleges and universities and Scott Rawlins, art professor at Arcadia University and a nationally known professional illustrator in both the scientific and artistic fields.

For more information contact PSBI.