Lan Su Chinese Garden

Steep & Paint: Lotus with Rhiannon Leonard
2026-07-17 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Lan Su Chinese Garden, 239 NW Everett Street, Portland, Oregon, 97209
Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Enjoy a blossom-filled afternoon at the beautiful Lan Su Chinese Garden with the return of Steep & Paint. With all materials provided and admission included, all you need to bring is yourself!

We’re bringing this series back by popular demand and newly reimagined in partnership with the Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA). This immersive afternoon experience invites you to slow down, look closely, and connect with plants through tea, conversation, and hands-on art-making. Our July 17 Lotus session with Rhiannon Leonard will use pencil, ink, and watercolor as the medium.

Each session weaves together horticulture, tea culture, and botanical art in a relaxed, welcoming setting:

Learn the plant up close: A Lan Su gardener leads a close-up botanical show-and-tell, sharing seasonal plant facts, cultural stories, and growing insights.

Taste the season: Enjoy a sampling of seasonal teas from Yun Shui Teahouse.

Create botanical art: An OBA artist guides a full botanical art class inspired by the featured plant.

Whether you’re returning to Steep & Paint or joining for the first time, this refreshed program offers an even richer way to experience Lan Su. Bring a friend with you and let’s Steep & Paint together!

Meet the Instructor: Rhiannon Leonard

“Poppy” by Rhiannon Leonard

Rhiannon Leonard is passionate about the intersection of art & botany and explores the emotional benefits of slowing down to draw the plants around us. Teaching for over 15 years in Portland, she is dedicated to making her classes accessible through community education & lower cost programming.

Meet Our Partner: Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA)

Oregon Botanical Artists is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary botanical art while honoring its long-standing traditions. Founded in 2012, the organization supports a diverse community of artists who celebrate the beauty and diversity of plant life through detailed and scientifically informed artwork. Oregon Botanical Artists is affiliated with the American Society of Botanical Artists as an Artists Circle.

Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Steep & Paint Need to Know

Each class session is independent — participants are welcome to register for any individual class without attending others.

Registration fee includes full-day admission to Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Get Tickets

Lan Su Members & Guests: $56.95

General: $66.95

Note: A $0.95 service fee is reflected in each paid ticket

Full Series Schedule

Set a new monthly Friday tradition, or treat someone special to an amazing afternoon of creativity!

Parking & Directions

Free Lan Su Parking

There is free first come, first served parking in our sister lot next to the garden at 424 NW Third Avenue. Additional metered parking and garages are available on surrounding streets.

Steep & Paint: Lotus with Robin Phillips Occhipinti
2026-07-31 14:00 - 17:00
Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Enjoy a blossom-filled afternoon at the beautiful Lan Su Chinese Garden with the return of Steep & Paint. With all materials provided and admission included, all you need to bring is yourself!

We’re bringing this series back by popular demand and newly reimagined in partnership with the Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA). This immersive afternoon experience invites you to slow down, look closely, and connect with plants through tea, conversation, and hands-on art-making. Our July 31 Lotus session with Robin Phillips Occhipinti will use graphite and colored pencil as the medium.

Each session weaves together horticulture, tea culture, and botanical art in a relaxed, welcoming setting:

Learn the plant up close: A Lan Su gardener leads a close-up botanical show-and-tell, sharing seasonal plant facts, cultural stories, and growing insights.

Taste the season: Enjoy a sampling of seasonal teas from Yun Shui Teahouse.

Create botanical art: An OBA artist guides a full botanical art class inspired by the featured plant.

Whether you’re returning to Steep & Paint or joining for the first time, this refreshed program offers an even richer way to experience Lan Su. Bring a friend with you and let’s Steep & Paint together!

Meet the Instructor: Robin Phillips Occhipinti

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Northwest Forest Floor, 14″ x 11″, watercolor and colored pencil by Robin Phillips Occhipinti

As an avid gardener, Robin delights in studying and nurturing plants. She is also fascinated by the cycles and rhythms of life, and find endless inspiration even in the tiniest elements of nature. It is her passion to promote the significance of the natural world, healing, and conservation through art.

Robin Phillips Occhipinti is a multidisciplinary artist and designer who has a love for many creative mediums, and sharing the joy of art with others. Active in local arts organizations including Oregon Botanical Artists and the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators NW, she has exhibited her art locally and nationally for many years, and also teaches workshops. Robin holds a BFA degree, a Certificate in Natural Science Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and is currently completing a Certificate in Botanical Illustration through the New York Botanical Garden.

Meet Our Partner: Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA)

Oregon Botanical Artists is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary botanical art while honoring its long-standing traditions. Founded in 2012, the organization supports a diverse community of artists who celebrate the beauty and diversity of plant life through detailed and scientifically informed artwork. Oregon Botanical Artists is affiliated with the American Society of Botanical Artists as an Artists Circle.

Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Steep & Paint Need to Know

Each class session is independent — participants are welcome to register for any individual class without attending others.

Registration fee includes full-day admission to Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Get Tickets

Lan Su Members & Guests: $56.95

General: $66.95

Note: A $0.95 service fee is reflected in each paid ticket

Full Series Schedule

Set a new monthly Friday tradition, or treat someone special to an amazing afternoon of creativity!

Parking & Directions

Free Lan Su Parking

There is free first come, first served parking in our sister lot next to the garden at 424 NW Third Avenue. Additional metered parking and garages are available on surrounding streets.

Steep & Paint: Lotus with Zebith Thalden
2026-08-14 14:00 - 17:00
Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Enjoy a blossom-filled afternoon at the beautiful Lan Su Chinese Garden with the return of Steep & Paint. With all materials provided and admission included, all you need to bring is yourself!

We’re bringing this series back by popular demand and newly reimagined in partnership with the Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA). This immersive afternoon experience invites you to slow down, look closely, and connect with plants through tea, conversation, and hands-on art-making. Our August 14 Lotus session with Zebith Thalden will use colored pencils as the medium.

Each session weaves together horticulture, tea culture, and botanical art in a relaxed, welcoming setting:

Learn the plant up close: A Lan Su gardener leads a close-up botanical show-and-tell, sharing seasonal plant facts, cultural stories, and growing insights.

Taste the season: Enjoy a sampling of seasonal teas from Yun Shui Teahouse.

Create botanical art: An OBA artist guides a full botanical art class inspired by the featured plant.

Whether you’re returning to Steep & Paint or joining for the first time, this refreshed program offers an even richer way to experience Lan Su. Bring a friend with you and let’s Steep & Paint together!

Meet the Instructor: Zebith Thalden

“Spice Bush or Western Sweetshrub (Calycanthus occidentalis)” by Zebith Thalden

Zebith Thalden is a US-based studio artist, author, and instructor. Her artwork has been featured in galleries, cultural centers, and art museums, including the CICA Museum in Gimpo-si, South Korea; the Academy of Science in Canberra, Australia; American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington DC; and the Annmarie Sculpture Garden in Dowell, Maryland. She has been in residence at Zion National Park and PLAYA: Center for the Intersection of Art and Science. She has also been a featured speaker at Portland State College of the Arts: School of Art + Design, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, and Southern Utah University. Her book The Insect Artist: How to Observe, Draw, and Paint Butterflies, Bees, and More was released by Timber Press on March 12, 2024. She received an MFA from Goddard College and a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Meet Our Partner: Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA)

Oregon Botanical Artists is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary botanical art while honoring its long-standing traditions. Founded in 2012, the organization supports a diverse community of artists who celebrate the beauty and diversity of plant life through detailed and scientifically informed artwork. Oregon Botanical Artists is affiliated with the American Society of Botanical Artists as an Artists Circle.

Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Steep & Paint Need to Know

Each class session is independent — participants are welcome to register for any individual class without attending others.

Registration fee includes full-day admission to Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Get Tickets

Lan Su Members & Guests: $56.95

General: $66.95

Note: A $0.95 service fee is reflected in each paid ticket

Full Series Schedule

Set a new monthly Friday tradition, or treat someone special to an amazing afternoon of creativity!

Parking & Directions

Free Lan Su Parking

There is free first come, first served parking in our sister lot next to the garden at 424 NW Third Avenue. Additional metered parking and garages are available on surrounding streets.

Steep & Paint: Bamboo with Robin Phillips Occhipinti
2026-08-28 14:00 - 17:00
Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Enjoy a blossom-filled afternoon at the beautiful Lan Su Chinese Garden with the return of Steep & Paint. With all materials provided and admission included, all you need to bring is yourself!

We’re bringing this series back by popular demand and newly reimagined in partnership with the Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA). This immersive afternoon experience invites you to slow down, look closely, and connect with plants through tea, conversation, and hands-on art-making. Our August 28 Bamboo session with Robin Phillips Occhipinti will use graphite and colored pencil as the medium.

Each session weaves together horticulture, tea culture, and botanical art in a relaxed, welcoming setting:

Learn the plant up close: A Lan Su gardener leads a close-up botanical show-and-tell, sharing seasonal plant facts, cultural stories, and growing insights.

Taste the season: Enjoy a sampling of seasonal teas from Yun Shui Teahouse.

Create botanical art: An OBA artist guides a full botanical art class inspired by the featured plant.

Whether you’re returning to Steep & Paint or joining for the first time, this refreshed program offers an even richer way to experience Lan Su. Bring a friend with you and let’s Steep & Paint together!

Meet the Instructor: Robin Phillips Occhipinti

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Northwest Forest Floor, 14″ x 11″, watercolor and colored pencil by Robin Phillips Occhipinti

As an avid gardener, Robin delights in studying and nurturing plants. She is also fascinated by the cycles and rhythms of life, and find endless inspiration even in the tiniest elements of nature. It is her passion to promote the significance of the natural world, healing, and conservation through art.

Robin Phillips Occhipinti is a multidisciplinary artist and designer who has a love for many creative mediums, and sharing the joy of art with others. Active in local arts organizations including Oregon Botanical Artists and the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators NW, she has exhibited her art locally and nationally for many years, and also teaches workshops. Robin holds a BFA degree, a Certificate in Natural Science Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and is currently completing a Certificate in Botanical Illustration through the New York Botanical Garden.

Meet Our Partner: Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA)

Oregon Botanical Artists is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary botanical art while honoring its long-standing traditions. Founded in 2012, the organization supports a diverse community of artists who celebrate the beauty and diversity of plant life through detailed and scientifically informed artwork. Oregon Botanical Artists is affiliated with the American Society of Botanical Artists as an Artists Circle.

Instructor | Tickets | Series Schedule | Parking

Steep & Paint Need to Know

Each class session is independent — participants are welcome to register for any individual class without attending others.

Registration fee includes full-day admission to Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Get Tickets

Lan Su Members & Guests: $56.95

General: $66.95

Note: A $0.95 service fee is reflected in each paid ticket

Full Series Schedule

Set a new monthly Friday tradition, or treat someone special to an amazing afternoon of creativity!

Parking & Directions

Free Lan Su Parking

There is free first come, first served parking in our sister lot next to the garden at 424 NW Third Avenue. Additional metered parking and garages are available on surrounding streets.

Steep & Paint
2026-09-11 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-25 14:00 - 17:00, 2026-10-16 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-10-30 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-11-13 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-11-20 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-12-04 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-12-18 13:00 - 16:00 and 2 more dates
Enjoy a blossom-filled afternoon at the beautiful Lan Su Chinese Garden with the return of Steep & Paint!

We’re bringing this series back by popular demand and newly reimagined in partnership with the Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA). This immersive afternoon experience invites you to slow down, look closely, and connect with plants through tea, conversation, and hands-on art-making.

Each session weaves together horticulture, tea culture, and botanical art in a relaxed, welcoming setting:

Learn the plant up close: A Lan Su gardener leads a close-up botanical show-and-tell, sharing seasonal plant facts, cultural stories, and growing insights.

Taste the season: Enjoy a sampling of seasonal teas from Yun Shui Teahouse.

Create botanical art: An OBA artist guides a full botanical art class inspired by the featured plant.

Whether you’re returning to Steep & Paint or joining for the first time, this refreshed program offers an even richer way to experience Lan Su. Bring a friend with you and let’s Steep & Paint together!

Full Series Schedule

Set a new monthly Friday tradition, or treat someone special to an amazing afternoon of creativity!

Steep & Paint Need to Know

Each class session is independent — participants are welcome to register for any individual class without attending others.

Registration fee includes full-day admission to Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Get Tickets

Lan Su Members & Guests: $56.95

General: $66.95

Note: A $0.95 service fee is reflected in each paid ticket

Meet Our Partner: Oregon Botanical Artists (OBA)

Oregon Botanical Artists is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary botanical art while honoring its long-standing traditions. Founded in 2012, the organization supports a diverse community of artists who celebrate the beauty and diversity of plant life through detailed and scientifically informed artwork. Oregon Botanical Artists is affiliated with the American Society of Botanical Artists as an Artists Circle.

Parking & Directions

Free Lan Su Parking

There is free first come, first served parking in our sister lot next to the garden at 424 NW Third Avenue. Additional metered parking and garages are available on surrounding streets.
