The University of Florida’s Landscape Architecture program recently welcomed renowned landscape architect and artist Chip Sullivan, along with his collaborator Elizabeth Boults, for a fun and captivating lecture and drawing workshop. The event, “Wisdom of Place,” invited students to explore new ways of seeing and engaging with landscapes through drawing and storytelling.
Chip Sullivan, Professor Emeritus in the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, isn’t only a landscape architect, but an artist who has revolutionized how we see and interact with our environment. A UF alum, his teaching pedagogy, representational techniques, and writings have significantly shaped our understanding of landscape as an art form. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Rome Prize, and earlier in his career taught at Harvard and worked at Sasaki Associates.
Elizabeth Boults, a landscape architect and educator in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis, brings expertise in landscape representation, history, and theory to the discussion. Boults is a licensed landscape architect, and has worked at many respected design firms on the east coast and California.
Sullivan and Boults co-authored the book, “Illustrated History of Landscape Design,” where they investigate, through drawing, how today’s design possibilities are shaped by historical and cultural context. Together, they led landscape architecture students through an inspiring exploration of how drawing can serve as both a design tool and a way to connect more deeply with place.
“The energy and passion that Elizabeth and Chip bring forth to our profession is so inspiring,” commented Lily Crawford, landscape architecture student and current president of the Student Chapter of the American Society for Landscape Architects (SCASLA). “Getting to attend their lecture makes you understand why they are such influential professionals in our field and makes you want to strive to make a similar impact as you grow in your career.”
Following a lecture, a drawing workshop kicked off in the studio where students received hands-on lessons in drawing and visual storytelling. Sullivan and Boults shared techniques for capturing landscapes through expressive sketches using a wide range of media including graphite, colored pencils, ink, and pen.
Students then ventured outdoors for a guided “sketch crawl,” where they visited various locations around the UF campus and translated their observations into creative compositions inspired by the natural world. Drawing prompts encouraged participants to interpret the environment through symbolic and narrative lenses, fostering new methods of artistic exploration.
The event was enthusiastically received by students across the department, as both undergraduate and graduate students engaged with the artistic process in a fresh and immersive way. Many left the event with sketchbooks full of landscape studies, reflections, and a new appreciation for the power of observation and drawing in landscape design.
Andy Molina, a current third-year graduate student commented, “I thought both the talk and sketch walk were great! Such a unique and inspiring way to see and engage with the landscape that I hope to bring into my GTP [graduate terminal project].”
Hayden Bertone, a senior undergraduate student, said “The Wisdom of Place lecture was an inspiring and refreshing look at the often-overlooked magic in the landscapes we value. I had a great time challenging my notions of landscape and using a different creative lens to visually express my sensory experiences and landscape memories.”
Sullivan and Boults’ visit was a reminder that sketching is more than just a tool for representation—it is a means of discovering, interpreting, and celebrating the landscapes that surround us. Their passion for drawing and storytelling encourages students to approach their design work with curiosity and creativity.