Botanical Christmas?   I might have something for you to check out in today’s post so keep reading.

Moving around from place to place has allowed me to meet some of the most amazing and talented people.  When we moved to Connestee Falls outside of Brevard, North Carolina I had no idea that I would encounter so many artistic people.  I know they are everywhere but there seems to be a higher than normal concentration of them here in our little gated neighborhood.

Hiking with Marci is always a fun event.

I met Marci Barbey within the first month of moving into our home and have been so blessed by her friendship.  While we have different backgrounds and did not grow up in the same area of the United States we still have a lot in common.  We both love the creative process and while my creativity leans more towards writing and paper crafting Marci has a true gift in producing amazing botanical prints.   I am in awe of her precision and exactness.

Marci’s popular wreath series is available in note card form as well as prints. Image and artwork by Marci Barbey

Her husband, Geoffrey, is an artist in his own right and has had a successful career in oil paintings.  You can find his work by clicking here. Geoff’s work is totally different than Marci’s and it is a wonderful gift to walk into their home.  It is like being in a gallery with paintings by Geoff and Marci and Marci’s father adorning the walls.

Marci created this from a cutting from a holly bush on our property.

Marci has discovered her passion after retirement and it is so fun to see her excitement when she completes a new piece.  She has a right to be proud of what she is creating.  Marci shares her process on her Etsy site:

When I was living outside of New York City, a friend wanted to take a horticulture class at the New York Botanical Garden but did not have the means to get herself to class. I told her I’d be happy to take the class with her and drive her. In looking through the NYBG class catalog I saw a Colored Pencil Botanical Illustration class that just thoroughly intrigued me. While I could not take that class (my work schedule interfered – darn!), I decided to look into some other means of learning that art. I happened upon a wonderful book by a well-known botanical artist and worked my way through that.

Shortly thereafter I retired and moved to Western North Carolina, a most beautiful place, and continued my studies with an on-line course offered by the author of the same book.

My technique is to first draw and then tone an object with either a dark sepia pencil or the compliment of the local color. I then add the color with my colored pencils and often use watercolor pencils as well to heighten and intensify the color.

Today, I spend much of my time drawing and hiking (ostensibly for exercise, but always with an eye to collecting specimens). I feel as though I am in heaven here in the mountains. Having lived all of my life in and around New York City, it is such a pleasure to be here amidst all of God’s beautiful creation.

Marci has made having some of her artwork affordable for almost everyone by offering cards with her amazing images.   These cards make perfect gifts and rumor has it that Marci will be offering a sale on her Etsy site beginning today so don’t delay if you are interested in getting some amazing art for yourself or for gifts for others.  Her blank Christmas cards are simply gorgeous.

Christmas cards–image and artwork by Marci Barbey

I have a couple of Marci’s prints but I am particularly proud of this one that features the buckeye.  As an Ohio girl I love the buckeye because it is the symbol of my home state.  I didn’t have great lighting for this picture and obviously the picture in the header is enhanced so it does not look like that at all but trust me when I tell you that it is a very nice representation of a buckeye. Marci has the eye and the gift for making her paintings come to life.

Marci belongs in my Noteworthy Women series but I decided to just feature her amazing talent today in a post just by itself because you never know what search engine is going to pick this up and hopefully point some more folks to her shop.  So yourself a favor and pop on over to her shop today.  I am including links to her Etsy shop and her Instagram account at the end of this post so my readers can follow her and connect with her in those places.  Please let her know I sent you should you decide to buy some of her wonderful items.

Young Marci creating – precious picture included on her Instagram account.

BarbeyBotanicals

Instagram

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