Botanical Art: Exploring Magnolias & Camellias

Saturday, February 14, 2026
9am-2pm (5 hours)
San Francisco County Fair Building — Recreation Room

This class is appropriate for all skill levels. Bring your own lunch.

About the Program

Exercise your curiosity!

Take a closer look at these early spring beauties abundant in the San Francisco Botanical Garden. You’ll spend time observing these plants in their environment, making note of their characteristics, and sketching the details that intrigue you. Back in the classroom, the instructor will talk about how to approach your chosen subject, provide a drawing demo, and work with each person individually to put your ideas on paper. For those interested in watercolor, you will be given an overview that includes mixing and layering color to achieve a finished painting. You are invited to use only graphite or, if you prefer, colored pencils.

Materials List

Recommended

• Watercolor paper: Arches 140 lb hot press, 100% cotton, 9×12, smooth
• Tracing paper: prefer Canson “vellum” 9×12
• Graphite pencils: 2H, H, and HB (Staedtler Mars or Sanford Turquoise); alternate – drafting pencils and leads
• Erasers: white eraser, kneaded eraser, or Mono ‘Clic’ for smaller areas
• Measuring tools: clear plastic ruler (6” or 12”) with grid lines; or divider
• Palette: I prefer a white porcelain plate; alternately, a plastic palette with wells and room to mix paint
• Paintbrushes: Winsor Newton series 7, Kolinski Sable #3 (good tip); I prefer Raphael Kolinski sable #8408 or #8404 for smaller work– just #3 or #4 will do. (http://www.dickblick.com/items/05289-1004

Optional

• Magnifying glass: alternatively, clip on magnifiers
• Light: full spectrum sunlight (Ott or gooseneck type)
• Desk whisk
• Mixing brush: inexpensive round nylon brush, #4 up to #6
• Lifting brush: Princeton Art & Brush Co 6300b size 2, Bright Robert Simmons Craft Painter – flat shader CP60 #4
• Drawing paper: Strathmore Bristol Velllum 300 series, 9×12

About the Instructor

Sally Kneeland Petru has been creating botanical artworks for 25 years, specializing in watercolor. Her passion for plants began with a career in landscape architecture while her love for art was always deeply seated. Much of her work is inspired by the gardens and parks in her native California Bay Area. She takes great pleasure in teaching and serving both the American Society of Botanical Artists and her local chapter. Sally has been admitted to several Florilegia collections, including UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, Filoli, Mt Tamalpais and Alcatraz. Most recently, she was juried into exhibitions with the American Society of Botanical Artists, ASBA 27th Annual International and Abundant Future: Cultivating Diversity in Garden, Farm, and Field, a traveling exhibition.

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Gardens of Golden Gate Park Members are entitled to a 20% discount for this program. To secure your discount, please enter the Member Discount Code in the “Promo Code” field when checking out. For the Member Discount Code, please contact membership@gggp.org. Discount codes do not apply to the “Pay What You Will” price level.

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable