Recently I invited the artists from the Oregon Botanical Society to spend a weekend field sketching in our lovely forests in Bend, Oregon. It was a way for me to finally meet some of the members who live further a field.   I enjoyed hosting this group of excellent artists and to have the privilege of showing them the beauty of the High Plateau and what Bend has to offer.

Our sketching hike to Jack Lake ended up being a plant finding hike. We could not walk more than 10 feet before the eagle eyes in the group spotted yet another plant to be identified.   This is the beauty of being with many pairs of eyes, short range, medium and long.   Needless to say we ran out of time to sketch.

We did manage one day of sketching in the field at another location, and a mini workshop. With a group of artists like this the exchange of ideas is always a positive result and we all come a way with new ideas and appreciation for the plants and the art we do.