Sophomore Anna Rosenthal is the inspiration behind “Botanical Art in All its Wonder,” an exhibit in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center lobby gallery.

Six of Rosenthal’s pieces are featured in the exhibit, which focuses on botanical illustration. It involves scientifically accurate drawings and paintings of plants. Botanical art as defined in the exhibit, however, covers a broader range of works and includes more imaginative artwork of plant life.

“We wanted to go a little further with what people could think of as plants,” Shelly Nordtorp-Madson, chief curator and clinical faculty for the art history department, said.

Rosenthal creates her botanical illustrations through three mediums: watercolor painting and drawing with pencil or pen. She studies and measures plants while working to make sure her pieces are exact representations.

“There’s lots of different rules in scientific illustration where you have to be completely accurate because you’re not just painting a flower; you’re actually giving information to the viewer about the specimen,” Rosenthal said.

Nordtorp-Madson selected and worked with the artists and installed the exhibits. The show features work from seven Minnesota artists. She said Rosenthal’s freshman year adviser, art history department chair Mark Stansbury-O’Donnell, loved Rosenthal’s art and decided to talk with the rest of the staff about hosting a botanical art exhibit.

Rosenthal said she’s been inspired by nature since a young age.

“My mom was a garden designer, so I was really inspired by all the plants around me,” Rosenthal said. “She had a really beautiful garden, and so I could just go outside and draw.”

Rosenthal was already selling print cards and journals with her drawings by the time she was 12, and went to the Minnesota School of Botanical Art two years later.

“That’s where I started doing botanical illustration, (and) that’s kind of what launched me at age 14,” Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal said she’s honored to have her illustrations in the exhibit.

“It’s just a great opportunity to show my work and there (are) amazing other artists that I’m showing with,” Rosenthal said.

Nordtorp-Madson said the exhibit has been well received, especially with the cold Minnesota weather.

“People have really liked Anna’s work, which is really important because we want to sponsor her as much as we can,” Nordtorp-Madson said.

Rosenthal is studying a custom major in scientific illustration and said she knows this is what she wants to do with her life.

“I just love painting and I love my work and I love that I can share that with others and others appreciate it so much,” Rosenthal said. “It just brings me joy, and I’m just happy to do it.”

Jamie Bernard can be reached at bern2479@stthomas.edu.