Photo Credit: E. Dustman

This weekend, I had the privilege of attending a botanical illustration workshop hosted by Rhode Island School of Design. The work shop was instructed by Dr. Dick Rauh and while I learned a lot about his artistic process (which often goes unshared and is lost), what interested me more was his life trajectory. Personally inspired, I would like to share with you a little bit about Dick Rauh.

In the early eighties, Dick Rauh completed a certificate program in Botanical Art at the New York Botanical Garden.
For some time, he illustrated for various scientists, but then felt as though he did not know enough about the science of plants. So, what did he do? He decided to pursue a graduate degree in Plant Science from the City University of New York, completing his doctorate in 2001!

Now, in his retired life, Rauh watercolors enlarged versions of plants to depict their beauty and architecture. His paintings have won gold medals at Royal Horticultural Society Flower Shows and have also been included in the Hunt Collection at Carnegie-Mellon University. Others are in the collections of the New York State Museum and the Lindley Library in London. How impressive is that?

My point here is this: be inspired by those around you. Listen to their story. Learn about their process. Meet Dick Rauh, an artist who first illustrated for botanists and then later pursued a doctorate in plant science to gain more knowledge. His works are impressive, even more so in person, but so is his story. I feel privileged to have met Dick Rauh as he is an exemplary example of the art/sci fusion.