Botanical Drawing with Judith Modrak — August 9, 2026

Despite a 93-degree summer afternoon, around 25 neighbors gathered beneath the trees of Stuyvesant Square Park for a botanical drawing workshop led by artist and SPNA Arts Committee Chair Judith Modrak.

Participants selected leaves and other plant material from the park, then studied their forms and translated the intricate patterns of nature onto paper. The group included experienced artists and people drawing for the very first time—as well as a new neighbor who just moved here from Colorado who happened upon the workshop while strolling through the park.

The afternoon brought together art, nature, and community in one of the park’s most beautiful settings. By the end, participants were already asking when the next workshop would be.

Judith’s connection to Stuyvesant Square can also be seen in Nurturing Tree, her sculpture currently installed in the park.

Photography by Julia Umlauf.