Nature Journaling

This past year has been rich with growth and inspiration, as I've delved deeper into my interests in both printmaking and environmental science. From immersive natural history lessons in the Sierra Nevada mountains through the UC CALNAT program, to linocut printmaking in the letterpress studio at Penland School of Craft, I've had the privilege of learning from some truly incredible artists, scientists, and teachers.

One of my first and most influential experiences in 2019 was learning the art of nature journaling from the master of the medium himself, John Muir Laws. In March of 2019, I attended a two-day workshop led by renowned Bay Area-based naturalist, artist, author, and teacher, John Muir Laws. Designed for educators, the experiential workshop engaged participants in various journaling practices that inspired deeper scientific observation and inquiry. As students, we were invited to notice, wonder, and reflect - not just on our natural surroundings, but upon our inner experience as well.

Looking at nature for the first time through an interdisciplinary lens of science, art, and soul ignited a powerful spark for me. And I haven't looked at the world in the same way since. 

Nature Journaling in the field with John Muir Laws

Smitten with this newfound medium of nature journaling, I began looking into other classes to further develop my skills in scientific drawing and observation. A few weeks later, I was enrolled in an online course in Natural History Illustration offered through the University of New Castle, Australia.

Specimen studies in my sketchbook 

Pages are often filled slowly over time

The course helped me to sharpen my eye and gain a beginner's understanding of things like botanical structure and animal anatomy. It also provided me with a crash course in drawing fundamentals, and taught me the basics of value and composition (concepts that I'd never formally studied as a self-taught, "figure it out as I go" artist).

Though much of my art has long been inspired by nature - and plants and animals have always factored heavily into my work - up until my introduction to nature journaling, I had simply been content to interpret my subjects stylistically. But after leafing through the exquisite pages of Laws' nature journals, and later marveling at the beautifully detailed and scientifically accurate drawings of Portland-based artist Zoe Keller, I was inspired to take my skills and understanding in this department to the next level.

A squirrel skull - A lucky find

Back home at my desk

Now I feel as though my fascinations with art and nature have fused into a single, powerful force of curiosity and creativity. And I'm excited to see where this journey leads. 

A female Western Tiger Swallowtail

that my husband pulled from a spider's web in our backyard

Lots of detail

After a light wash of watercolor

Sketch Therapy

Birds keep popping up in my sketchbook these days.

I don't usually do much with text, but had a lot of fun with this. 

No, that's not real hand lettering. It's a drawing based on a typeface called Bakery that I filled in with watercolor. Maybe one day I'll take the time to learn how to write pretty words for real. For now, I'm satisfied to fake it.

Rainy Saturday Morning

Just me and my sketchbook.

Travel Sketches

Finally home after two weeks of travel! I took a new Moleskine watercolor journal with me to Guadeloupe and Florida, and am happy to report that it got quite a bit of use. It's neat to see the style and quality of the drawings morph and improve, even after just a few weeks of experimenting with different tools and techniques.

Here are a few pages for you to peruse. I hope they inspire you to keep a travel journal or sketchbook of your own!

The first few days I stuck to pencil and light watercolors.

Eventually I started to incorporate my new favorite pens.

Played around with pasting in little pieces of ephemera - a bottle label, a ticket stub, etc.

The last few pages from the trip are my favorite. I got a little better at designing a layout, and was able to get that fun, loose sketch look from the pens.  

Inside my notebook.

I've been making a habit of spending time in my Moleskine watercolor journal almost every day. It's been equally successful as a therapeutic practice as an artistic practice.

Drawing and Writing My Way Home.

At home in my notebook.

It's been a while.

The creative impulse, which had felt stifled and sad for many months, seems to be flowing freely once again.

And finally I don't ask what the point is.

It brings me back to my authentic self, my truth, my heart's desire.

And that's good enough for me.

tikk-tikka-tu

Lately I've been posting some very "youthful" drawings, so for the sake of variety, here is something a bit different:

Just a simple squirrel sketch.

Hey there, little fella.

Secondhand sketchbook makeover

So I found a couple of unused sketchbooks at an estate sale today for 75 cents a piece.  Talk about great finds at a great price!  But what to do about their shabby appearance?   

Step 1: Mask off the edges and position stencil securely with double-sided tape.

Step 2: Apply acrylic craft paint.

Step 3: Admire handiwork.

I'm quite satisfied with these.  Not only because the process was so quick and easy, but also because of how vibrant and fun the end products turned out to be.  All for under 2 bucks!!  It really pays to keep your eyes peeled for those secondhand fixer-uppers.  

That's it for today, see you next time :)