Left: Polygonatum pubescens (Downy Solomon's Seal - IL Threatened). All artwork by Nancy Klaud.

If you have ever used our website's Plant Search engine or if you have been a fan of our newsletter for a while, you likely stumbled upon some of Nancy Klaud's botanical illustrations for Plants of Concern. Her delicately detailed renderings of rare plants have been a staple of our program for over 10 years.

This summer, I had the pleasure of chatting with Nancy about that work. After playing phone tag via email (is "email tag" a thing?), the two of us worked out a time to call and chat. As fate would have it, I also had field work scheduled before and after our call, so that is how I and found myself asking Nancy questions about her art while I sat on a dolomite scrape in a prairie in August with no shade in site. Now, with the crisp scent of drying leaves in the air, I bring you our conversation.

Actaea rubra (Red Baneberry - IL rare)

Prior to partnering with Plants of Concern, Nancy worked on species monographs with botanists at the Field Museum and the Smithsonian. She described her work there as fulfilling yet esoteric, as it was largely pen and ink drawings for academic publications. One example is the illustrations that accompany the descriptions of new species of Brassaiopsis, which is in the Ginseng Family (Araliaceae).

As much as she wishes she was always a botanical illustrator, that was not the case. She graduated with a degree in Design Communications from University of Illinois, with a minor in Biology. She recalls enjoying both science and art, though it took her years to find a way to combine her two passions. After volunteering at the Field Museum for years, she completed botany courses at the Field and later earned a Certificate in Science Illustration from Morton Arboretum.

Lathyrus ochroleucus (Pale Vetchling - IL Threatened)

Nancy was first introduced to Plants of Concern via her brother Rob, who at the time assisted the program with mapping projects. She then quickly swapped pen and ink for, in her opinion, the more time-consuming yet interesting medium of paint. Online images and pressed field specimens serve as reference for her rare plant illustrations, which bring the species to life in a unique way. Her depictions of rare plants illustrate important morphological characteristics that distinguish them from similar species. Knowing that her pieces for Plants of Concern contribute to saving rare plants, she finds her work rewarding, albeit tedious (the shading! the parallel veins!).

Today, Nancy enjoys working in watercolor and oil paints, occasionally dabbling with digital painting, while continuing to partner with and learn from other artists. Her contributions to Plants of Concern help raise awareness of rare plants by providing charismatic materials that also serve as documentation of our natural history. We are grateful for her continued involvement in our program.Juncus alpinoarticulatus (Alpine Rush - IL Threatened)

Article by Ingrid Felsl