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February 16 - 29, 2008 13
Artist from Page 1
participants’ colored pencil, watercolor, graphite, botanical garden. Native plants and ponds flaunt
silverpoint and pen and ink drawings. The work greens, blues and various other colors after 10 years of
illustrates plants found in the garden, some basic, growth and an obviously green-thumbed caretaker.
some that are only native to Arizona and some that are “My backyard could almost be declared a wildlife
rare or endangered plant species. habitat with all of the birds and critters that inhabit
Bossler, who enrolled in the Desert Botanical it,” Bossler says.
Garden’s art program two years ago, used a color Bossler swears her talent for detaining the colors of
layering technique to draw her displayed work. She the desert in her drawings with such meticulous detail
says seeing Arizona’s vegetation expanded her love for has little to do with natural skill. More so, she says
creating colorful artwork, especially after moving here her skill was acquired from courses that taught her
from Canada. attention to detail.
“The shades of green seen in the Sonoran Desert are Marilyn Garber, the director of the Botanical Art
unlike any other,” Bossler says. “Back in Canada, there and Illustration Program, created the program three
were like … two. Here, I see over 50.” years ago. She says the program breaks botanical
When Bossler, husband Dan and teenage sons Ben drawing into a step-by-step process, which teaches
and Paul moved to Chandler in 1998, she began to students to slow down and study things.
take notice of the native desert wildlife growing in the “A student learns at his or her own pace,” Garber
area. Bossler says after years of drawing houses with says. “In the end, it all comes back to the power of
her background in technical sketching, she was ready observation, having the patience to look and then see.
to complete the portrait with some landscaping. That is what drawing is all about.”
She attended University of Arizona’s Maricopa The program’s mission is to document desert plant
County Cooperative Extension division classes and species that have not previously been recorded. Garber
graduated in May 2005 as a certified master gardener. says that is why this type of art is so technical, official
The Desert Botanical Garden allows her, along with and, most of all, important.
other master gardeners, to volunteer and help answer The Botanical Art and Illustration Program Exhibit
visitors’ questions. runs until March 9. For more information on the exhibit
The Desert Botanical Garden is the only botanical or program, call 480-941-1225 or visit www.dbg.org.
garden in the world that has a mission of focusing The Desert Botanical Garden is located at 1201 N.
solely on desert plants. It houses more than 21,000 Galvin Pkwy. in Phoenix. It is open daily from 8 a.m.
accessioned plants representing 3,931 species in 139 to 8 p.m., except on Dec. 25 and July 4. To get there,
plant families.
STSN photo
travel north on Loop 101; take exit 51 to westbound
Loop 202; take Exit 5, Priest Road; and travel north on
WILDLIFE STUDIO: Southern Chandler artist Mary Bossler draws
Garden great place to see desert
some of the plants in her back yard.
Priest Road to the garden entrance.
John Sallot, marketing manager for the garden, says
many visitors enjoy the garden for its peacefulness; “Most people just want to see the desert,” Sallot
Jen Bondeson is an Arizona native and a writer of all trades. She
others enjoy studying the unique and imported says. “In March and April the cactus flowers and other
can be reached at JenB@SanTanSun.com.
plants from Chile, South America and several African plants will begin to bloom. It gets very beautiful.”
nations. Bossler’s backyard itself appears to be a desert
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