ABOUT RHONDA

Probably all of us can pinpoint moments in our lives that caused an abrupt change of direction, leading us on a distinct future course. My first high school art class was such a moment. From the minute I drew my first portrait of a classmate, I was hooked on the limitless possibilities of communicating through art. It was in that class that my teacher told me, “You could never be an artist.” Being the stubborn teenager that I was, that was all I needed to catapult me into the field of art. I received an art education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, married a fellow student the next day and shortly thereafter birthed our illustration studio, Ampersand, and we began our lives as professional artists. We continue to operate Ampersand from our home/studio along the Wisconsin River in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.

Artists most influential in developing my style are Caravaggio, Robert Bateman, Wayne Thiebaud, and Rick Nass. I regard contrasts (light, texture, color, space, temperature, etc.) as one of the most effective visual communication tools, so one can recognize my work generally by such contrasts.

I’ll always be amazed that one can make a living doing what one loves, and can, in the process, keep stretching and passing discoveries on to others. It’s a gift for which I’ll continuously thank God.

EXPERIENCE:

Owner/partner of Ampersand (illustration/design studio) – Prairie du Sac, WI; 1976 to currently

Art instructor – nationwide workshops; 1990 to currently

Art instructor – Badger Prairie Health Care Center, Verona, WI; 2012-2014

Drawing/illustration instructor – Madison College, Madison, WI; 2009, 2010

EDUCATION:

Robert Bateman Masters Class – Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI

Erwin Lewandowski Techniques Workshop – Barrington, IL

Illustrators Workshop – Tarrytown, NY

B.S. Art Education – University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

The Botanical Artist – The American Society of Botanical Artists, New York, NY, 2007, 2018, 2022.

The Society of Botanical Artists Plantae - The Society of Botanical Artists, Hertfordshire, England, 2022.

The International Society of Scratchboard Artists Exhibition Catalog - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, 2021.

The Untold Christmas Story - Xulon Press, Maitland, FL, 2020.

Journal of Natural Science Illustration - Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Washington, D.C. 2017.

Scratchings of a Madwoman – Ampersand, Prairie du Sac, WI, 2015.

Following the Bartrams’ Footsteps – American Society of Botanical Artists, Bronx, NY, 2014.

To the Point, Colored Pencil Society of America – Rising Sun, IN, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.

Biology of Plants – W.H. Freeman Publishers, Inc., New York, NY, 1992, 1999, 2005, 2012.

US Airways Magazine – Pace Communications, Greensboro, NC, 2012.

Vanishing Circles – The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Press, Tucson, AZ, 2010.

Colored Pencil Society of America Signature Showcase – Crane Dance Publications, Eugene, OR, 2010.

Blossom II—Art of Flowers – Susan Kathleen Black Foundation, Lake George, CO, 2010.

Today’s Botanical Artists – Schiffer Publishing Ltd, Atglen, PA, 2008.

The Botanical Artist – The American Society of Botanical Artists, New York, NY, 2007.

Biologie der Pflanzen – Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, Germany, 2006.

Society of Illustrators – Madison Square Press, New York, NY 1985, 1996.

Communication Arts – Coyne & Blanchard, Inc., Palo Alto, CA, 1993.

International Exhibition – Hunt Institute/Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 1992.

Gifts from the Earth – Wild Willow/Ampersand, Cross Plains, WI, 1988.

PARTIAL EXHIBITION/CLIENT LIST

~ Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Tucson, AZ*

~ Art Center Manatee
Bradenton, FL*

~ Art Museum of Los Gatos
Los Gatos, CA*

~ Atlanta History Center
Atlanta, GA*

~ The Atlantic
Boston, MA

~ Bartram’s Garden Gallery
Philadelphia, PA*

~ Beverly Art Center
Chicago, IL

~ Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center
Birmingham, MI

~ Brea Art Gallery
Brea, CA*

~ The Carnegie Art Center
Covington, KY*

~ Charles Eisemann Center Gallery
Richardson, TX*

~ Christ Presbyterian Church

Madison, WI

~ Colorado Springs Fine Art Center
Colorado Spring, CO

~ Cornell Museum of Art and History
Delray Beach, FL*

~ Davis Arboretum
Davis, CA

~ Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver, CO*

~ Dunnegan Gallery of Art
Bolivar, MO*

~ Evergreen Gallery/Evergreen State
Olympia, WA*

~ Fourth Presbyterian Church

Chicago, IL

~ Gardener’s Supply Company
Burlington, VT

~ Garfield Park Observatory
Chicago, IL*

~ Green Acres Arts Center
Cincinnati, OH*

~ Hartell Gallery/Cornell University
Ithaca, NY

~ Hunt Institute/Carnegie Mellon
Pittsburgh, PA

~ Jacobs Gallery
Eugene, OR

~ Jay Etkin Gallery
Memphis, TN

~ Johnson & Johnson Headquarters
New Brunswick, NJ

~ Katie Gingrass Gallery
Milwaukee, WI

~ Kenosha Public Museum
Kenosha, WI*

~ Land’s End
Dodgeville, WI

~ Morton Arboretum
Lisle, IL*

~ Museum of the Gulf Coast
Port Arthur, TX*

~ Naples Museum of Art
Naples, FL*

~ National Arts Club/Gramercy Park
New York, NY

~ National Wildlife Gallery
Vienna, VA

~ New York Botanical Gardens
Bronx, NY

~ North Carolina Botanical Garden
Chapel Hill, NC*

~ Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Madison, WI*

~Ormond Memorial Art Museum

Ormond Beach, FL*

~ The Overture Center

Madison, WI

~ Pacific Science Center
Seattle, WA*

~ Paine Art Center
Oshkosh, WI

~ Peninsula School of Art
Fish Creek, WI

~ Portage Art Center

Portage, WI

~ River Arts on Water Gallery
Prairie du Sac, WI*

~ Roger Tory Peterson Inst. Nat. Hist
Jamestown, NY*

~ Rollingrock Country Club
Ligonier, PA

~ RSVP Shadows Exhibition
New York, NY

~ R.W. Norton Art Gallery
Shreveport, LA*

~ Society of Illustrators Gallery
New York, NY

~Steve Wilson Studios & The Gallery

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

~ TravelSmith
Novato, CA

~ United Nations Postal Administration

New York, NY

~ University of Cal Botanical Garden
Berkeley, CA*

~ Walter de Gruyter
New York, USA; Berlin, Germany*

~ Warner Books
New York, NY

~ Weisman Art Museum
Minneapolis, MN

~ W.H. Freeman Publishers
New York, NY*

~ Woolrich (John Rich & Bros)
Woolrich, PA

~ Zhejiang Museum of Natural History

Hangzhou, China