Teaching
Botanical Art as Intimate Storytelling
Workshops for beginners and professional artists exploring color, presence,
and the quiet language of flowers.
Where Flowers Become Collaborators
The Language of the Flowers is a Botanical Art workshop series inviting artists into conversation with their specimens. Through color, gesture, and storytelling, artists move beyond observation into relationship — creating floral portraiture that feels personal, expressive, and alive.
This workshop series is grounded in intimacy, curiosity, and visual dialogue. Instead of striving for perfection, artists are guided by joy, freedom, and focused attention—inviting a relationship with their specimen through mark-making and color rather than control.
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Drawing and painting shift beyond documentation into portraiture. The flower becomes a collaborator, and each line and wash responds to its character, rhythm, and mood. The work begins to feel like a private exchange — something the viewer is gently allowed to overhear.
Upcoming Workshops & Classes
🍂The Language of Flowers - A Fall Harvest in Watercolor & Colored PencilSold OutNov 02, 2026, 10:00 AM EST – Nov 05, 2026, 4:00 PM EST📍Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 W Stockbridge Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262, USA
🌸 The Language of the Flowers Finds EndingsSold OutMay 25, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT – May 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT📍 Michelle Dolan’s Studio, 22 10 Broeck Rd, Chatham, NY 12037, USA
Teaching History & Experience
I am a practicing botanical artist with over ten years of experience creating and teaching botanical art. I graduated with honors from the New York Botanical Garden Certificate Program in Botanical Art & Illustration in 2019, a rigorous professional program that blends technical skill with deep observation.
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I am a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, Tri‑State Botanical Artists, and the Society of Botanical Artists, and my work has been exhibited in galleries and botanical institutions, including a solo exhibition, Alchemy and Innocents, at the Berkshire Botanical Garden.
Present
Alongside my studio practice, I teach botanical art workshops both online and in person. My ongoing series, The Language of the Flowers, grew from the curriculum I developed while teaching at the Berkshire Botanical Garden and continues to bring artists together to explore observation, color, and storytelling through botanical art.
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I teach in a variety of settings, including professional workshops, community art centers, botanical gardens, and online classes for artists at every level.
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My teaching blends technical guidance with a deeper way of seeing—where observation, intuition, and color become tools for visual storytelling.
How and Why I Teach
My teaching is rooted in the belief that art is a conversation rather than a performance. I create spaces where artists feel supported to observe closely, experiment freely, and develop their own visual voice. Through a balance of technique, reflection, and curiosity, students build skills while discovering new ways of seeing and responding to the natural world.
Core Beliefs About Learning and Teaching
I believe that art is a conversation — not a performance. Learning happens when artists feel safe to explore, attentive to the subject, and free from the pressure of perfection. My role as an educator is to create a space where curiosity, intuition, and joy guide discovery. Every mark, color choice, and hesitation is part of the story, and every artist’s voice matters.
Skill-Building vs. Theory
I balance technical guidance with conceptual exploration. Artists gain practical skills — from color mixing and layering to mark-making and composition — while also engaging with the “why” behind choices. Technique serves expression, not the other way around. Theory is shared through observation, discussion, and reflection, always connected to hands-on experience.
Critique and Feedback
Feedback is offered as gentle guidance rather than judgment. Artists are encouraged to reflect on their process and discoveries, and I provide supportive prompts to deepen understanding. Sharing work is framed as conversation rather than evaluation — a space to notice growth, experiment, and witness one another’s discoveries.
How and Why I Teach
My teaching is rooted in the belief that art is a conversation rather than a performance. I create spaces where artists feel supported to observe closely, experiment freely, and develop their own visual voice. Through a balance of technique, reflection, and curiosity, students build skills while discovering new ways of seeing and responding to the natural world.
Curiosity over perfection
Relationship with the subject over replication
Intuition alongside technique
Inclusivity and respect for all levels
Experimentation as a form of learning