THOUSAND OAKS, CA - An artist and author from Oxford University will offer a master class in drawing and a lecture on sustainability at California Lutheran University in March.

The CLU Artists and Speakers Series will present a master class in drawing with Sarah Simblet from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, in Kingsmen Park. A lecture on “The New Sylva” will follow at 4 p.m. in the Roth Nelson Room. Both events are free.

The master class in drawing is open to everyone, regardless of expertise.

The afternoon lecture will be based on Simblet’s forthcoming book with co-author Gabriel Hemery, “The New Sylva.” The book describes the most important tree species that currently populate the landscape and explains what trees really mean to us culturally, environmentally and economically. Simblet captures the delicacy, strength and beauty of trees through the seasons in 200 drawings. The book was inspired by “Sylva,” a 1664 comprehensive study of British trees by horticulturist and diarist John Evelyn. It was the world’s earliest forestry book and the first book ever published by the Royal Society. Publication of “The New Sylva” will mark the 350th anniversary of Evelyn’s work.

Simblet is director of drawing and a tutor in anatomy at Oxford’s Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art and has taught CLU students participating in an annual study abroad program at the English university. Her research interests include the relationship between art, science and history. She has published three major reference books, “Anatomy for the Artist,” “The Drawing Book” and “Botany for the Artist.”

She contributes drawn installations, framed works and, occasionally, documentary films to art shows, festivals and events. Her drawings can be found in national and private collections including the Royal Academy of Art in London and the Ashmolean in Oxford. She contributes regularly to British, American and international television and radio programs about science and art and consults on national exhibitions. She is a freelance lecturer at The National Gallery in London. She holds a doctorate in drawing from Bristol University.

Kingsmen Park is located near Memorial Parkway on the Thousand Oaks campus. The Roth Nelson Room is located at 3391 Mountclef Boulevard. Visitor parking is located at the corner of Mountclef Boulevard and Olsen Road.

CLU’s Artists and Speakers Committee is sponsoring the events. For more information, contact Michael Brint at brint@callutheran.edu or 818-707-9686.