Nature’s Geometry: Surprises of Botanical Design Photographs by Julie Jaycox September 1, 2010

San Francisco Botanical Garden Society presents Nature’s Geometry: Surprises of Botanical Design, an exhibition of photographs by Julie Jaycox. The exhibition will be on display September 1st through December 30th at the Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture, located at San Francisco Botanical Garden, in Golden Gate Park.

This collection of color photographs by artist Julie Jaycox focuses on the fascinating geometry of plants. Through her lens she reveals the often surprising symmetry of nature. Focusing on what the casual observer typically misses, Jaycox leads us to see the complex organization of the smallest plants' reproductive parts as well as the overall geometry of floral and leaf structures.

Using her observant eye, handheld 35mm Contax camera and only natural light, Jaycox captures the elegant details of plants. In a world where photography can be anything from plant scans to highly altered digital images, Jaycox does it the old fashioned way -- walking among the plants and capturing fleeting stages of growth at just the right time of day. In our San Francisco climate the fog acts as a natural light filter and dew is often represented in her images. As Jaycox says, 'We can't do it without the plants," in recognition of the source of her art and the importance of respect for plants as the basis of life on earth.

This is Jaycox’s second exhibit at the Helen Crocker Russell Library and is an entirely new collection of photos, many of which have been taken in the San Francisco Botanical Garden.

The Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture is open Wednesday-Saturday, and closed on major holidays. A special evening reception for the artist will be held at the Library on Thursday, September 9, from 5:00 to 7:00pm. The reception is open to the public and admission is free. The fine art photographs in the exhibition and unframed prints are available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Library. For more information the public may call 415/661-1316 x 403 or visit www.sfbotanicalgarden.org.