Mendham Artist Highlights Schiff Exhibit

The second annual winter art exhibit, opening this Sunday, at the Schiff Nature Preserve will feature a Mendham residents work.

"Alana Van Rensselaer is a watercolor artists who lives in Mendham and focuses on native forest plants in her work--very lucky for us," said Hope Coppinger, Membership and Outreach Coordinator. "We're very excited to show her work."

According to Coppinger, Van Rensselaer is a botanical artist who enjoys portraying nature in watercolor. She developed a love of nature from her mother and a passion for art and creativity from her father, Al Hartley, cartoonist of Archie Comics. Her subjects range from the tiniest moss on the forest floor to the pollinators of the perennials in her garden.

Alana has a Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration from the New York Botanical Garden, Coppinger said. She studied at the International Studio of Chinese Art in Hong Kong where she learned the graceful technique and control of single stroke watercolor. In addition, she completed the certificate program in Ikebana at the Sogetsu School.

The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 973-543-6004, or email.