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Molly Hashimoto is a good friend of the Miller Library, having exhibited in our space for many years, typically each November and December.\u00a0 Her books are a blend of engaging watercolors and block prints, while the text educates the reader about both art techniques and the subjects of the illustrations.<\/p>\n
Her most recent book is \u201cTrees of the West: An Artist\u2019s Guide,\u201d an exploration of all the trees native to the United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast.\u00a0 By dividing her chapters into the nine biogeographical regions, the trees that typically associate with each other are grouped together.<\/p>\n
Each entry includes a species description, but not in the typical, formulaic terminology of a field guide.\u00a0 Instead, this is an artist\u2019s interpretation of appearance, often done by describing a notable individual tree in an evocative location.\u00a0 There are basic facts like range and ethnobotanical uses, but these are intermixed with essays, travel journal excerpts, poetry, and brief profiles of artists, biologists, and naturalists.<\/p>\n
I was especially engaged by complimentary images of a row of tall western redcedars (Thuja plicata<\/em>), all that sprung up from the same nurse log.\u00a0 On the left page they are depicted in watercolor.\u00a0 On the right, by a tinted woodblock print.\u00a0 Located in the North Cascades National Park, the artist has visited these trees many times.\u00a0 Her description of their near destruction by a 2015 forest fire makes this an especially personal account.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you begin keeping sketchbooks or journals, you realize the importance of recording experiences and ideas\u2014it is a very personal endeavor, but it is one that makes you a more thoughtful participant in the landscapes you venture to see.\u201d\u00a0 This past May, the Council of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries recognized the quality of this book with an Award of Excellence for Botanical Art and Illustration.<\/p>\n Reviewed by: Brian Thompson on August 22, 2023<\/p>\n Excerpted from the Fall 2023 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Molly Hashimoto is a good friend of the Miller Library, having exhibited in our space for many years, typically each November and December.\u00a0 Her books are a blend of engaging watercolors and block prints, while the text educates the reader about both art techniques and the subjects of the illustrations. Her most recent book is \u201cTrees of the West: An Artist\u2019s Guide,\u201d an exploration of all the trees native to the United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific…<\/p>\n