Dutchman’s Breeches300 res
Dutchman's Breeches watercolor by Gillian Harris
Serving Science through her Art: Gillian Harris
Written By: Shawndra Miller
Date Published: April 28, 2021
Shawndra Miller
Bloomington resident Gillian Harris, illustrator of the award-winning children’s book Wake Up, Woods, will be part of our Wake Up to Spring event at Oliver’s Woods this Sunday, along with Michael Homoya. Gillian’s stunning watercolors are a feast for the eyes. We asked her to share more about her work in this blog post.
How did you get your start illustrating the natural world?
I’m really interested in native plants, and I’ve been drawing all my life. I put the two together logically. I started out drawing more animals and then got more into botanical illustrations, which I enjoy.
What were your early professional experiences in illustrating?
When I moved to Michigan after going to graduate school to study English, I took a semester of independent study in science illustration at the University of Michigan. I was asked to be part of an illustrator consortium made up of mostly former and current grad students, working to put together a 12-volume encyclopedia of “animals of the world.” I just plunged into that. I had never done anything like it before. Photographs were our source material. I drew lemurs, neotropical bats, crows and jays.
But I was always interested in plants and wanted to get into that more. On a colleague’s recommendation, I looked into the American Society of Botanical Artists. It’s a wonderful resource. There’s an annual conference with workshops and presentations on techniques. They have international juried exhibits that travel to botanic gardens with exhibition space. My work has been in a couple of those.
How do you bring your passion to the work?
I love wild plants, and my preference is to illustrate them rather than cultivars, especially those plants indigenous to the Midwest. ASBA has put an emphasis on how botanical art serves science, and on educating people about plants as part of ecosystems, in addition to portraying garden flowers and cultivars for their beauty alone. The first ASBA exhibit I entered, with a painting of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) was called Losing Paradise, and featured threatened and endangered plants here and around the world.
Do you feel like a daughter to the naturalist women who historically drew plants?
Among most botanical artists there is a sense of continuing an artistic tradition, and an awareness that women historically played a great part in that tradition and that some of the best botanical artists were—and are today—women. Maria Sybella Merian, for example.
Beatrix Potter is famous for Peter Rabbit, but she also did wonderfully realistic paintings of mushrooms and serious studies of rabbits. But because she wasn’t scientifically trained, this work was never accepted as important or worthy of consideration.
How did you end up doing illustrations for Wake Up, Woods?
I have been a member of the Indiana Native Plant Society for quite a while. Ruth Ann Ingraham (an INPS board member), Melissa Moran and Carolyn Walmsley initiated the idea of doing a children’s book sponsored by INPS. (Coauthor) Shane Gibson, who had written a few poems already, was meeting with Ruth Ann and Melissa at the Sycamore Land Trust headquarters in Bloomington. I happened to walk in on the meeting, as I was returning materials from a lichen walk I had led the day before. I sat down with them and pretty soon I came on board. Then later Ruth Ann asked Mike Homoya to contribute the factual information.
Wood poppy watercolor by Gillian Harris
You show a lot of “critters” in the book as well as plants!
I had some knowledge of pollinator-plant interactions and seed dispersal by ants. I was eager to work in as many insects and other animals as possible. Since I wasn’t working in the springtime, I drew and painted everything from photographs—mostly my own.
What specific design choices did you make in the book?
If the entire plant is depicted, sometimes the flower doesn’t show up well. We decided to focus in on each flower and make it bigger and bolder, since it’s a children’s book, and not a field guide. So I included enough leaves to make them identifiable, but concentrated on the flowers themselves—their colors and how they’re constructed. Patricia Prather then designed the book, putting text and artwork together and creating the overall look.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on technical botanical illustrations for the director of the IU Herbarium—pen and ink illustrations of African lobelias. For reference I’m using photos he took of the plants in situ, as well as dried flat herbarium specimens and photos taken through a microscope.
What is the overall goal for Wake Up, Woods?
To create a curiosity about native wildflowers and a desire to get out into the woods and see them, and a realization of how they function in the ecosystem as the basis for all the insect, bird and other animal life out there. Bugs and frogs sometimes appeal to kids more than plants, and we hoped to show how all these creatures rely on and interact with native plants—leading to an appreciation of native flora and a desire to protect and conserve it.
Read more from Gillian and find her beautiful artwork at her website.
Ben Valentine
Guest Blogger
Ben Valentine is a founding member of the Friends of Marott Woods Nature Preserve and is active in several other conservation organizations. He leads a series of NUVO interviews with Indiana's environmental leaders, and he cherishes showing his son all the wonders of nature he grew up loving.
DJ Connors
Guest Blogger
DJ Connors, a Central Indiana native and late-to-life hunter, combines a lifelong appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors with a deep passion for exploring the natural beauty of the area he has called home for most of his life. As a husband and father of three, he is committed to ensuring his children have the same opportunities to connect with nature and appreciate the outdoors in their community. DJ’s unique journey into hunting emphasizes sustainability, responsible stewardship, and the importance of preserving these experiences for future generations.
Bridget Walls
Guest Blogger
Bridget is our first ever Communications and Outreach Intern. She is a graduate of Marian University, where she combined English, studio art, and environmental sciences in her degree studies. As treasurer for Just Earth, the university's environmental club, she helped plan events encouraging a responsible relationship between people, nature, and animals.
Jordan England
Guest Blogger
Jordan England is a lifelong Shelby County resident who graduated from Waldron Jr. Sr. High School (just a few miles from Meltzer Woods!). After earning her B.S. degree in Retail Management from Purdue University, she returned to Waldron to start a family with her husband, Brian. Together they have 3 young children and enjoy sharing with them their love of the community. Jordan is the Grants and Nonprofit Relations Director at Blue River Community Foundation, managing BRCF’s grant program, providing support to local nonprofits, and promoting catalytic philanthropy in Shelby County.
Cliff Chapman
President and CEO
As CILTI’s President and CEO, Cliff keeps CILTI’s focus on good science and stewardship. He’s mindful that the natural places you love took thousands of years to evolve and could be destroyed in a single day, and that knowledge drives his dedication to their protection.
Stacy Cachules
Chief Operating Officer
Among her many key duties as Assistant Director, Stacy has the critical task of tracking our budget, making sure we channel donations for maximum efficiency. When her workday’s done, Stacy loves to spend time with her two young boys—and when not traveling, she’s likely planning the next travel adventure.
Ryan Fuhrmann
Board Chair
Ryan C. Fuhrmann, CFA, is President and founder of Fuhrmann Capital LLC, an Indiana-based investment management firm focused on portfolio management. Ryan’s interest in land conservation centers around a desire to help preserve natural habitats for wildlife and the subsequent benefits it brings to people and the environment.
Joanna Nixon
Board Member
Joanna Nixon is the owner of Nixon Consulting, an Indianapolis-based strategy and project management firm focused on the nonprofit sector. She currently serves as the Philanthropic Advisor for the Efroymson Family Fund. Prior to opening her consulting practice in 2000, Joanna was vice-president for grantmaking at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). Joanna has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and arts and culture sector. She is passionate about the environment and loves bringing big ideas to life and creating high-quality arts and culture programs and experiences. Joanna enjoys outdoor adventures, including competing in fitness obstacle course races and hiking with her high energy Australian Cattle Dog, Jackson.
Karen Wade
Board Member
Before retiring, CILTI board member Karen Wade worked for Eli Lilly & Co. In retirement she volunteers for a number of organizations, including the Indiana Master Naturalist program, Johnson County Native Plant Partnership CISMA, Meadowstone Therapeutic Riding Center, and Leadership Johnson County.
David Barickman
Development Systems Manager
Born and raised in Central Illinois, David spent many days as a child wandering around the river, forest and lakes there. He works behind the scenes as a key member of our fundraising team. When not working, David loves to be outdoors hiking, fly fishing, kayaking or woodworking.
Jamison Hutchins
Stewardship Director
Jamison leads our stewardship team in caring for the land that is so important to you. He comes to our team after eight years as Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the city of Indianapolis, where his work had a positive impact from both health and environmental perspectives.
Jen Schmits Thomas
Media Relations
An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together. She is accredited in public relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America, and loves to camp and hike in perfect weather conditions.
Shawndra Miller
Communications Director
Shawndra’s earliest writing projects centered around the natural world, starting when a bird inspired her to write her first “book” in elementary school. Now she is in charge of sharing our story and connecting you to our work. Through our print and online materials, she hopes to inspire your participation in protecting special places for future generations.
Phillip Weldy
Stewardship Manager
Phillip enjoys nature’s wonders from an up-close-and-personal perspective as he works to restore the natural places you love. As an AmeriCorps member in Asheville, NC, he had his first full immersion in relatively undisturbed land while reconstructing wilderness trails in National Parks and National Forests.
January 8, 2026
We knew at the outset that our goal would require everyone to dig deep. The Efroymson Family Fund offered a generous $350,000 matching challenge, our largest year-end challenge to date. It was a big stretch.
Fred & Dorothy Meyer Nature Preserve,Homepage,Newsroom,Properties
December 24, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Banker Potter donates Bedford Falls properties for perpetual preservation Banking tycoon Henry “Old Man” Potter has donated a swath of land previously set aside for a housing development to the Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc, (CILTI) for perpetual protection.
Newsroom
December 22, 2025
As nature-lovers ourselves, we appreciated the chance to reflect on our top nature moments. Enjoy these “postcards” from our staff, which first appeared in the fall 2025 newsmagazine.
Betley Woods,Meltzer Woods,Newsroom
