Summer plein airs in the Botanical Garden of PetrSU

Plein airs are held in the Botanical Garden of PetrSU for everyone who wants not only to enjoy the beauty of summer nature, but also to capture the landscape or plant they like on canvas using different techniques.
Irina Bystrova, a graduate of the Institute of Philology of PetrSU, head and teacher of the School of Drawing and Painting, conducts master classes and plein airs in the Botanical Garden of PetrSU for everyone.

Irina told about the plein air held this weekend:

Plein air took place in the Botanical Garden of the University. Among the splendor of the Botanical Garden, among this fragrance, the smell of pine needles, lavender, thyme, in the shade of golden pines, we settled down in the sketching plein air. What did you draw? Yellow buzulnik, alpine aster, lavender, bells and the ubiquitous “hard workers” – bumblebees, and luckily – pink four-leaf clover.

The lesson was held in a group of nine people – children and adults. Such sketching (quick sketching), I believe, is available to everyone. It is difficult to master watercolor in one lesson, it is impossible to become an artist by attending one master class, but to give yourself pleasure, touch creativity, change the environment, enjoy the beauty of nature, finally, give your brain a new and interesting task – available to everyone!

According to Irina Bystrova, she loves to study, she never ceases to learn something new, to improve:

I have my own school of painting, the main areas of which are: portraiture, animal painting, illustration and botanical illustration in particular. Now I am very passionate about portraiture, just like my students.

Regarding the project related to the open air in the Botanical Garden, Irina said:

The idea came to Elena Platonova, head of the plant introduction department of the Botanical Garden of PetrSU. I was invited to give a master class “Apple Blossom”. Since then, I have given these popular master classes every time. And then I, in turn, proposed a series of plein-airs in the Botanical Garden of the University. Yesterday we drew bells, lavender, yellow buzulnik and alpine aster. We added to this sketch a few bumblebees, tireless workers of the Botanical Garden. I myself really love the garden, flowers, trees, birds and animals, the place itself inspires me very much: Zaozerye, Sretenskaya church on the rock is so picturesque, the view of the city from Mount Vaara, the intoxicating smell of pine trees, the many herbs of the Botanical Garden. I can safely say that this is the most beloved place in the city. Classes in the Botanical Garden are directly dependent on the weather,