Paula Blair, co-founder and treasurer of the Plants of the James River Project, received her Certificate in Botanical Illustration from Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists and the Botanical Art Society of the National Capital Region, where she serves as co-editor of the newsletter. Her work has been included in several regional exhibitions of botanical art, and she has participated in ASBA exhibits in Miami and San Francisco. She won "Best Artwork in Show" at the Virginia Orchid Society's annual show for her painting, "Dendrobium Orchid."