The Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists (RMSBA) organized a juried, traveling exhibition featuring 40 rare plants of Colorado. The exhibition was designed to introduce the public to some of the state’s most imperiled plant species and to educate visitors about the importance of their protection. It also illustrated the valuable role that contemporary botanical art plays in ecological education and preservation.
The illustrated plants were selected from the Colorado Rare Plant Master List. The RMSBA collaborated with the Colorado Rare Plant Conservation Initiative to promote rare plant education at each venue. The exhibition debuted at the Denver Botanic Gardens in March 2009 and was subsequently presented at the Center of Southwest Studies. Following its presentation at the Center, the exhibition traveled to the Steamboat Art Museum and the Business of Art Center.