The Art of Science: Drawing Nature's Forms In this studio course we will draw from life. Before the advent of photography, natural history art, in addition to celebrating nature’s beauty, served as an important translator of scientific knowledge. The College’s rich natural history collections (mounted specimens, preserved specimens, eggs, study skins, skeletons, herbaria, live specimens in the greenhouse, etc.) will become both our laboratory and studio where we will investigate, inspect, and record nature, and gain inspiration from it. We will acquire knowledge of natural forms through sustained direct observation and drawing. Artistic media will include graphite, charcoal, gouache, watercolor, ink, and tempera. We will examine examples of natural history art from cultures around the world, from its beginnings to today’s digital scientific illustration. No prerequisites.  Kate Gridley is an award-winning artist whose works are in museums and private collections in the U.S. and abroad. Her work includes portraiture, landscapes, still-lives and botanical illustration in an array of media, including oil paint, graphite, pastel, watercolor, gouache, and egg tempera. Website: kategridley.com

Katharine Gridley

Reviews and ratings for Katharine Gridley at Middlebury College.Katharine Gridley teaches Drawing Nature's Forms and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Katharine Gridley good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Literally just drew every day for like 3 hours. Take home sketchbook supposed to sketch in for an hour every day. Two field trips to museums to draw. A fee times through the month we would share everything we had drawn with the class. Bigger final project as well. 

This course was amazing! Kate is such a wonderful person, teacher, and artist. I loved drawing from life every day. I also enjoyed visiting the special collections and the natural history museum with the class. I made new friends, learned a lot, and developed my drawing skills! 