Nan Lawrence Paintings
Exhibited March 2010

            "What's the best time to see the Wildflowers?" is possibly the most commonly asked question fielded by staff and volunteers here at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  March and April -- that's the answer, and during March of 2010 visitors enjoyed an art gallery exhibit timed with the season -- in fact Apache Junction painter Nan Lawrence's lively depiction of flowers seen at right bears the title "Celebration of Spring." Lawrence was our guest with a solo exhibition of her works for the month.

       "Whether I am in Arizona, Northern California, the National Parks or traveling elsewhere, I am inspired by the contrasting landscapes, flowers, birds and wildlife of each location. It might be a flower bursting forth on a Prickly Pear Cactus; it might be Yosemite’s Half Dome in the distance. Each watercolor painting reflects my joy of ‘seeing’ in the moment. My occasional abstract painting undoubtedly is influenced by my past professional life,"
said Lawrence.

       A few of her pieces should be familiar to Boyce Thompson Arboretum annual members -- such as the Drover's Shed, shown below, and the nearby windmill seen in the image at left.

       "When I was a child, I doodled. And I doodled. No paper border escaped my flurry of lines and circles and arcs -- and anything else I could think of to fill this blank space. I dreamed of being an artist. I even sent away an application to an Art School that had applicants copy drawings and create designs which determined if you qualified to attend their art school."

        "Life in the real world became my focus and I didn’t pursue art until a short bout with ceramics and pottery. I loved working with clay, but my back didn’t agree! I returned to computer work and engineering until retirement here in Arizona, where I took a class in watercolor painting from a local artist. Six years later I love what I am doing, attend workshops to hone my skills and delight in working with watercolors."       

Lawrence has attended workshops at the Scottsdale Artists’ School and also the Sedona Art Center, saying "these new skills have contributed to my putting on paper what I feel while painting—feeling the emotion. It feels like a gift to see the excitement in others when they experience the magic of watercolors."

          All paintings displayed will be available for purchase. In addition to framed original watercolors, prints and notecards will also be available. Framed paintings range in price from $40 to $195.

       Correspond with the artist by email to: lawrencewatercolors@hotmail.com or call Lawrence at 480-215-2122 or write to Lawrence c/o #86, 201 East Southern Avenue, Apache Junction, AZ, 85119. More of the artist's work can be seen at http://www.nanlawrence.com

     Boyce Thompson Arboretum is at highway 60 milepost #223 near the historic copper mining town of Superior, a drive of about 45 minutes due East of Mesa. January visitors are admitted from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., and the Arboretum closes at 5:00 p.m. ( summer month hours are daily from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) New exhibits begin each month and may be seen daily during business hours; the Arboretum is an Arizona State Park and daily admission must be paid to enter the Visitor Center where our gallery is found. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. Annual memberships at the Arboretum begin at $45, and include a year's access, guest passes for your friends and family, along with many other benefits. A membership may be purchased in the gift shop on the day of your visit. Review other recent gallery shows from...

Barbara Atkinson February , 2010

Nancy Matus January , 2010

Barbara Cox December, 2009

Margaret Whittaker November, 2009

Artists of the Superstitions October, 2009

Marilyn Barton September, 2009

Gila Community College August, 2009

Deborah A. Lee June, 2009

Margie Porter May, 2009

Timm Chapman January, 2009

Paul Kinslow December, 2008

Maggie Leef November 2008

Sharon Sieben October 2008

Nicole Royse September 2008

Judy Bottler Photography May 2008

Bob Estrin Photography April 2008
Mary Isham Watercolors March 2008
Susan Strom and Cathy Franklin Lightning Photography February, 2008
Arizona State Parks Plein Air Paintings January, 2008
Carolyn Gray & Connie Thomas December, 2007
Jean Sullivan November, 2007 Sue Cullumber October, 2007
Adriane Grimaldi September, 2007
Pima College print-making students July-August, 2007
Mesa Arts League June-July, 2007
Fred Charlton May, 2007
Paul Mudersbach March-April, 2007
Linda Kaiser February, 2007
Edith Kreueger-Nye December, 2006 - January, 2007
Cindy Carrillo October-November, 2006
Bob Rice September, 2006
Bud Heiss July-August, 2006
Mesa Arts League June-July, 2006
Sandy Tracey April-May, 2006
CJ Rider March, 2006
Jessica Green February, 2006
Steve Davidson January, 2006
Don & Carole Schupp December, 2005
Carolyn Gray November, 2005
Martha Burgess October, 2005
Boeing Photographers September, 2005
Lightning Lady Susan Strom July/August, 2005
Mesa Arts League June/July, 2005
Jeanette Bronson May, 2005
Tom Stanley April, 2005
Kathy McClure February-March, 2005
Pam Smyth January, 2005
Tina Faust December, 2004