Eleanor Lea Rohrbaugh is a native of South Carolina, but has been a
long-time resident of New York City, where she is an active botanical
artist and illustrator. Her career as a park planner with New York
City Parks and Recreation spanned 20 years and brought wonderful
opportunities to observe plant life and wildlife in the wetlands,
woodlands and natural areas in the city’s 27,000-acre park system.
Since 1995, she has devoted her talents to painting, drawing and botanical illustration. In 1998, she received a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the New York Botanical Garden with courses in watercolor, pencil drawing, pen and ink, colored pencil, metal point, black & white and color illustration. These courses have been supplemented by work in botany, plant morphology and scientific illustration. In 2002, she completed a 3-year course of study with Anne Marie Evans and received a Certificate in Advanced Botanical Watercolor Painting in June 2003. More recently, she studied life drawing with Glenn Hansen at New York’s School of Visual Arts and printmaking with Frederick Mersheimer at the Manhattan Graphics Center.
Apart from her interest in botanical art, she holds a degree in Art History and Architecture from Smith College and a Master’s Degree in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, the Graphic Artists Guild, the American Society of Botanical Artists, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium Society.
"I was first captivated by the lush landscapes of the Carolina mountains and shorelines. Once in New York, I became keenly aware of plants, birds and animals that thrived in the realm of skyscrapers. Through my art, I seek out the beauty of flowers and trees wherever they grow. At heart, I am a wondrous observer with a fascination for all living things."
