Calls for Entries

We post Calls for Entries for Northern California exhibition opportunities which may be of interest to our members. For shows outside this area, you may want to check the ASBA site as well as other groups listed on our Links page.

Each exhibit has its own specific guidelines and requirements, but for general information about framing standards for NCalSBA members’ exhibitions please check here.

To research whether a plant is a native of California, you may want to use the Jepson Online Interchange California Floristics or the Calflora Search for Plants. If you are specifically seeking California natives, be sure to check that the plant is not listed as “naturalized in CA”


University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley Florilegium Exhibition
at the Julia Morgan Hall, TBD

Deadline for entries August 20, 2024

Kaiser image

Florilegium Curators and UCBG Board members will oversee the project: Gina Barretta, Laura Sawczuk and Catherine Watters

UCBG Florilegium Staff Advisors will oversee the plant list and collection.
Holly Forbes – Garden Curator
Christine Manoux – Director of Education and Public Programs

The UCBG Florilegium is a 4-5 year project started in 2021.

Check here for UCBG Florilegium Guidelines. Please review them carefully as some changes have been made.

Exhibit entrants are required to gallery sit for this exhibit. Those exhibit entrants who are unable to gallery sit will pay a $50 fee.

Plant List
UCBG has updated the list of over 200 plants to be illustrated check here.

To reserve a plant, please contact Holly Forbes (hforbes@berkeley.edu) and Gina Barretta (gina.barretta@me.com).

Plants highlighted in yellow have already been reserved.
Plants highlighted in blue have been illustrated and included in the Florilegium.
*If you have already reserved a plant, please double check that it is highlighted in yellow.

The piece you submit to the UCBG Florilegium must not be in another florilegium collection.

Click here to enter exhibition

image by Leah Kaizer



15th Annual Plants Illustrated Exhibition – ‘California Natives – Edibles’
Julia Morgan Hall at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden

January 17 – February 4, 2024

Deadline for entries November 10, 2023

plants-illustrated

Set-up: January 16, 2024
Take-down: February 5, 2024
Co-chairs: Laura Sawczuk, Sally Petru, Catherine Watters, Kaye Herbranson

The Northern California Society of Botanical Artists (NCalSBA) will hold its 15th annual exhibition at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden from January 17 to February 4, 2024. We are delighted to be able to hold this exhibition in the Julia Morgan Hall once again.

Check this list of artists and the plants they have chosen to draw or paint. Only one entry per person is allowed. Exhibit entrants are required to gallery sit for this exhibit. Those exhibit entrants who are unable to gallery sit will pay a $50 fee.

Here is a link to some California Native edible plants.

Important Dates:
January 16th – hanging artwork
February 5th – take down artwork

Please review our new Guidelines for Exhibitionscheck here. Any artwork not conforming to these guidelines will not be accepted. Artwork submitted may not be in the UCBG Florilegium. Gallery sitting is required for members to participate. A donation of $50 will be requested for those who absolutely cannot gallery sit. Originals are sold with a 30% commission to benefit the Garden. Any sales shall be arranged directly with the artist.

Click here to enter exhibition. No entries will be accepted after Friday, November 10, 2023.

If you have questions, contact the Exhibitions Committee Co-chairs: Laura Sawczuk, Sally Petru, Catherine Watters, Kaye Herbranson.



Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture


The Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture at the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society at Strybing Arboretum hosts exhibitions of paintings, prints, photographs and other art media in its reading room on an ongoing basis. They plan exhibits up to two years in advance.



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