Shreveport Louisiana Orchid Show 2016

I’m spending the weekend doing something I love — having a chance to mix and mingle with my fellow orchid enthusiasts. This time I’m in Sheveport, LA, where I am enjoying getting reacquainted with long-time friends, as well as meeting some new ones. The vendors have brought some gorgeous plants, and it’s really hard to decide which ones are coming home with me to live in my greenhouse.

My main reason for attending orchid shows is to raise money for rain forest conservation and preservation. I always donate one of my limited edition prints to the auction, but the proceeds from my sales all go to the organizations which are working hard to protect natural habitats. I am happy to report that the folks in the Shreveport area are enthusiastic about pitching in to help with these efforts.

Saturday mornings are usually devoted to judging.  This is where the experts walk around and closely examine the orchids which have been entered for awards.  There are very particular requirements a plant has to meet in order to be a winner. It’s a pretty complicated science.  I usually volunteer to help with the judging by following the judges and carefully recording the points and comments about each plant.  It gives me a chance to learn a great deal about orchids. But there is a special benefit for the artist side of me. By listening to the comments of the judges, often they point out features of a plant that I had never noticed.  The process often inspires me to paint a particular plant, just because I learned something interesting about it.

Once again I entered two paintings in the original art category for judging, and I am very pleased to have won.