Perry Kapsch:
A Brief History of Botanical Art
And Its Artists
Thursday,
November 14, 2025
Our next meeting will be on Thursday,November 14, 2025 in the art room across the hall from the Hefner Auditorium at Asbury Methodist Village. The meeting will open at 6:30 pm and program will begin at 7.
There will be no Zoom meeting! Please come in person.
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Asbury Methodist Village,
201 Russell Ave,
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Enter at the gatehouse at Odenhal Avenue & Lost Knife Road. Upon entering the main gate at Asbury, you tell the attendant that you are with GFAA and that you are going to Hefner.
THE GAITHERSBURG FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION was founded in 1976 as a small group of artists residing in Gaithersburg and has grown over the years to include members throughout Montgomery County. GFAA provides educational programs, promotional opportunities, multiple exhibits during the year, and outreach to local audiences.
Botanical art has served two masters over the centuries and throughout the world. It was and continues to be a source of aesthetic delight and decorative appeal. It has been an important part of scientific studies; in agriculture and horticulture, in exploration and history, in commerce and in medicine and classical education. From antiquity to present day, the development of botanical journals, florilegium, portfolios and volumes of illustrations for related disciplines has left us with a glorious body of work to consider. Some of the artists names are well-known for their art, some of the best work is by those who cared only for the scientific accuracy of their work. Many of the best at both were women who supported their families as botanical artists.
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Perry Kapsch, our speaker, lives on her family farm near Poolesville, Maryland. She studied watercolor as a child in Japan, acrylic in college and fell in love with oil in 2006. She likes what cannot really be called working in all three, as well as with ink and pencil, in her studio to illustrate children’s stories, and to paint animal studies and still life. Most of all she enjoys painting en plein air her life in the country; the fields, woods, animals and old buildings that provide endless inspiration.
We need YOU to join the GFAA board!
Help us keep GFAA going and explore brave new activities you haven’t done before!
No training necessary but any specialized experience is welcome. We all help each other
when it’s needed. Ask about our “apprenticeship” program to learn the role along with the
current board member. Contact any board member for information on his or her position.
President: Bill Mapes williammapes@comcast.net Shows VP
Shows: Bob Maarsen RMaarsen@verizon.net
Treasurer: Ursula Dehejia ursamak@aol.com Membership Sandy Fritter skfritter@comcast.net
Newsletter: Darla Tagrin DarlaT@aol.com Programs
Grace Newcomer newcmom@yahoo.com
Secretary: Gail Kaplan-Wassell gail.kaplanwassell@gmail.com
Webmaster: Linda Sherman paintingsbylindasherman@gmail.com