Welcome
Like many other artists, I love to paint orchids from life. They are so enthralling.... and not just because orchids are so beautiful and bizarre – they are also the most evolved plant family on the planet! Perhaps our fascination with orchids is much like looking in a mirror and seeing a parallel in another life kingdom? Maybe it's no surprise that hybridizers have been consciously or unconsciously striving for more and more round, face-like shapes in our modern plants?
Orchids have been around for a long time - their pollen has been found in fossilized amber dated to be over 60 million years old, and scientists think that the earliest orchids were around up to 90 million years ago – that's during the time of the dinosaurs! There are over 20,000 species of orchids and many, many more human made and natural hybrids. They live on every continent except for Antarctica and comprise almost ten percent of the world's flowering plants. Thirteen species of orchids live north of the Arctic Circle and some live in southern Tasmania, not far from Antarctica, disproving the common belief that orchids are only tropical. In fact, more than 50 species of orchids have been documented from Illinois, my home state, alone!
Primarily working from life, first I make pencil studies, and then transfer the drawings to 100% rag Fabriano watercolor paper or Canson toned papers. Carefully working with delicate glazes of watercolor, I strive to capture their spirit and form in all stages of bloom.
Part of the context of my work is my ongoing participation in regional and international orchid conservation. In 2009 I had the privilege of being invited to present a session at the Native Orchid Conference (at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay that year), on the topic of Challenges and Strategies for Native Orchid Conservation in Illinois and the Chicago Wilderness Region. I was also invited to contribute articles and illustrations to many publications, including Illinois Audubon, Chicago Wilderness magazine, the Native Orchid Conference Journal, Illinois Steward magazine and Orchid Conservation Coalition. I enjoy volunteering for the Chicago Botanic Garden Plants of Concern program, doing citizen science monitoring of several species of locally rare plants. Working with Orland Grassland steward Pat Hayes was a wonderful way to develop relationships with the conservation community in Chicagoland. We were asked to design and implement the Chicago Wilderness passport program, to more deeply involve young people in natural areas stewardship activities.
Volunteer work for researchers at the Chicago Botanic Garden and elsewhere has offered a unique window into the artistic connections between ecology and the lure of the beautiful as well as shown me the tensions between wildlife under pressure and the exigency of human needs. In particular, our elusive and disappearing native orchids highlight the close and subtle interrelationships within the natural world. Because orchids are so sensitive to their environment they have much to teach us about living in harmony with nature
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Watercolor
Bio
| 2020-present: | editorial board, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators |
| 2020: | membership chair, northeast chapter of Illinois Native Plant Society |
| 2019-present: | Science affiliate, Field Museum |
| 2019-present: | Science and Conservation affiliate, Morton Arboretum |
| 2017: | Artist-in-Residence, Forest Preserves of Cook County |
| 2016-present: | natural areas steward, Hosah Park, Zion Park District |
| 2015: | Chicago Audubon Society award: Protector of the Environment – Avocation |
| 2015: | Illinois Association of Park Districts volunteer award, from Forest Preserves of Cook County |
| 2015: | present: social media admin for Native North American Orchid Conservation and Wild Things |
| 2013-present: | designed bandanas for The Nature Conservancy in Illinois, highlighting our natural features |
| 2013: | Artist-in-residence, Oak Park Conservatory: created educational materials for visitors |
| 2012: | updated botanical inventory of the Illinois Beach Plain for the Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources |
| 2012: | $1,000 teaching grant from American Society of Botanical Artists, for seven region-wide classes |
| 2010: | Botanical watercolor painting of yellow lady slipper orchid complex accepted into Smithsonian-sponsored exhibit, 'Losing Paradise? Endangered Plants Here and Around the World (five venues, including the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, and Kew Gardens, London) |
| 2005-2019: | book sales coordinator for Chicago Wilderness' biennial Wild Things Conference |
| 2004-present: | Steward, Grainger Woods Conservation Preserve, Lake County, IL. |
| 2001-present: | Plants of Concern Rare Plant Monitor, Chicago Botanic Garden |
Awards
| 2021: | Juliet Kirby Award grant from American Society of Botanical Artists (which initiated and supported this project) |
| 2008: | Chicago Wilderness Grassroots Conservation Leadership Award |
| 2006: | Plants of Concern Citizen Science award, Chicago Botanic Garden |
Exhibition Summary
Endangered Beauty: The Orchids of the Chiwaukee-Waukegan Lake Plain by Kathleen Marie Garness, Scientific Affiliate, Field Museum Science and Conservation Affiliate, Morton Arboretum
http://northamericanorchidcenter.org/featured-botanical-illustration/
| 2012: | Solo exhibit: Wondrous Things, Independence Grove, Libertyville, IL |
| 2012: | Solo exhibit: The Botanical Eye – Orchids and Other Wonders, Oak Park Public Library |
| 2012: | Group exhibit: Mother Earth - Oak Park Art League, Oak Park, IL |
| 2011: | Acceptance into Illinois State Museum Artisans' program |
| 2011: | Carriage House Gallery Juried National Exhibition, Oak Park, IL |
| 2011: | Solo exhibit, Drawing to Nature; Oak Park Conservatory |
| 2010: | Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago, IL - Trees |
| 2009: | Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago, IL – Amazing Amphibians |
| 2009: | Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago, IL – Paradise Lost: Species affected by Global Warming |
| 2009: | Acceptance into juried ASBA exhibition, Losing Paradise – Endangered Plants Here and Around the World: Missouri Botanic Garden, St. Louis, MO; Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL; New York Botanic Garden, Bronx, NY; Smithsonian Institution's Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C.; and Kew Gardens, London, England. |
| 2008: | Ryerson Woods natural history art exhibition, Drawn to Nature |
| 2008: | Ela Library: Reed-Turner Woodland Artists' group exhibition |
| 2008: | Chicago Wilderness' Disappearing Treasures - Gems from Plants of Concern |
| 2006: | Books About Books – Chicago Hand Bookbinders' annual exhibition of artists' books: Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Northwestern University Library, Evanston; Joan Flasch Library, Art Institute of Chicago |
| 2005: | Rush Hour Concert Series: One-woman exhibit of natural history artwork, Episcopal Cathedral of St. James, 65 E. Huron St. Chicago. |
| 2005: | Chicago Hand Bookbinders – A Salute to Audubon's Birds of America – Northwestern University Library |
| 2004-2012: | Chicago Botanic Garden Illinois Orchid Society exhibitions |
| 2003: | Cheney Mansion orchid exhibit, Oak Park IL |
| 2002: | Oak Park Conservatory botanical art group exhibition |
| 1996-2012: | Artist member exhibitions, Oak Park Art League |
| 1999-2003: | Fiber arts demonstrations, Graue Mill, Hinsdale, IL |
| 1999-2004: | Morton Arboretum Nature Artists Guild juried members' show |
| 1991-1997: | Wild Goose Chase Gallery: quilts, basketry and other fiber arts |
| 1981-1990: | Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts: Gold Medal Exhibition, Harriet Bitterly Award Exhibitions and Auction Show. Municipal Art League Annual Exhibitions, Hyde Park Art Center staff exhibition (1987). |
Publications
| 2011: | Bedstraws of the Chicago Region, with Gerould S. Wilhelm, Ph.D, Conservation Research Institute |
| 2022: | ERIGENIA, Number 28, Spring 2022, pp 74–76 (scientific journal of the Illinois Native Plant Society) |
| 2022: | ERIGENIA, Number 28, Spring 2022, pp 1–4 |
| 2021: | Our Role in Native Orchid Conservation, Wild Ones Journal Vol. 34 No. 3 |
| 2020: | Ferns and Lycophytes of the Chicago Region, with Gerould S. Wilhelm, Ph.D, Conservation Research Institute |
| 2019: | Dunesland Habitat Guide, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL |
| 2019: | Illustrated glossary to Flora of the Chicago Region, 2017, Indiana Academy of Science |
| 2017: | Wild Things conference poster, Flora of the Illinois Duneslands (with Carol Freeman) |
| 2013: | ERIGENIA, Number 26, Spring 2013, pp 2–6 |
| 2012: | Illustrated editions of The Little Gospels, Liturgy Training Publications |
| 2012: | Common Plant Families of the Chicago Region, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL (as principal investigator, with Rebecca Collings (scientist, Field Museum) and John Balaban) |
| 2011: | Keys to Nature: Orchids; Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL (with Bil Alverson Ph.D) |
| 2011: | Illinois Steward Magazine: Trilliums |
| 2010: | Orchid Conservation Coalition article: Orchid Conservation Strategies |
| 2010: | Trilliums – limited edition book with poetry by Susan L. Post, Illinois Natural History Survey |
| 2010: | Journal of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators "Fugitive Pigments: An Overview" |
| 2009: | A Passion for Orchids: Chicago Wilderness magazine |
| 2008: | Illinois Audubon Society, fall issue: illustrated article on Illinois' orchids |
| 2007: | Chicago Wilderness Fieldbooks (for youth stewardship education, sponsored by Audubon) |
| 2007: | Natural Events Calendar, Friends of the Forest Preserves |
| 2004-08: | Articles and illustrations, Habitat Herald, Audubon Chicago Region |
| 2002-10: | Native Orchid Conference publications: illustrated articles on orchid conservation |