First Bigleaf Magnolia Art and Garden Festival scheduled

April 18, 2019
Categories: General News Tags: College of Arts + Architecture, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Community Engagement

UNC Charlotte’s Botanical Gardens is holding a new three-day festival that combines nature and fine arts.

Attendees can participate in workshops and more family fun events during the inaugural Bigleaf Magnolia Art and Garden Festival, set for Friday through Sunday, May 17-19, at the McMillan Greenhouse and the Botanical Gardens. Two art contests are part of the festival, too. Entries are sought for the Garden Art Totem Exhibit, which will be displayed May 6-19, and a photography contest.

UNC Charlotte’s Botanical Gardens selected the name of the festival to highlight the bigleaf magnolia’s connection to the region. French naturalist Andre Michaux discovered the bigleaf magnolia near Charlotte in June 1795. According to research, the bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) boasts the largest simple leaf (12 to 36 inches long) and single flower (8 to 12 inches across) of any native plant in North America. It is found in the Southeastern United States. Specimens of both the bigleaf magnolia and a smaller subspecies, the ashe magnolia, are found in the University’s Botanical Gardens.

A complete schedule of Bigleaf Magnolia Art and Garden Festival events is on the web. Following May 17’s opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m., on Saturday, May 18, attendees can register for various workshops offered between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.:

  • Using a Nature Sketchbook
  • Eco-printing Silk Scarves
  • Playing with Nature’s Colors
  • Botany for Artists and Gardeners
  • Plein Art Painting
  • Macrophotography Notecards
  • Nature Weaving
  • Botanical Fabric Printing for Home Décor

Families can participate in a free “treasure hunt” through the VanLandingham Glen on Sunday, May 19, to discover art installations. Workshops for children, scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m., will be offered, too, including:

  • Macrophotography for Kids and Teens
  • Ink and Watercolor Florals
  • Creating a Mini-Garden Art Pole
  • Family Nature Sketchbook

Drop-in creation stations will be set up to make garden art such as “spider catchers,” wind chimes, plant prints and painted garden rocks. Donations of $2 per craft per child encouraged. Register online.

Artists interested in entering the Garden Art Totem or photography contests should complete the entry form located on the web.