“Those who dwell among the beauties and systems of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” – Rachel Carson

We’re so excited to welcome Ridgefield artist, wildlife photographer, teacher and observer extraordinaire to the farm! 

Spend the day on Plas Newydd Farm, connecting with nature.  Nature journaling is the process of being present in a space, looking carefully at the world around us, documenting and expressing what we see and wonder. Whether you are a new or veteran nature journaler, come with an open mind, love of nature, and permission to question and create. You do not have to be an artist to benifit from nature journalling. We often see beautiful pages of botanical drawings on Pinterest and other social media and feel intimidated. The benefits and essence of nature journalling lie in the process and time spent slowing down to look carefully and build a connection to the world we live in.

We will spend time building your  skills from wherever you are in your artistic process, filling your tool box so you can feeling more confident in expressing your ideas the way you see them. The day will be a balance of building skills to better capture what we see, and active exploration and observation out in the field. We will work on drawing techniques used for observation, layout/design, color, and use of watercolors. 

We believe strongly that nature journaling is one of the most intimate and accessible ways to be in a landscape. You don’t need to be an “Artist” to join us — just come with a willingness to learn, a desire to observe the world around you and an interest to wonder! 

Please bring a lunch and refillable water bottle and anything you need to be comfortable outdoors in early September. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided. 

We plan to be out on the farm as much as possible for this workshop, so come prepared for the weather! If you have mobility or other accessibility issues, please reach out to Abby at arts@pnfarm.com to discuss how we may be able to support you for this field-based event. Additionally, please feel free to reach out to Abby if you need to access a full or partial scholarship from the Spirit Lake Scholarship Fund in order to attend the class and/or purchase supplies. 

A note on materials: There are two ticket types for this class, depending whether you need materials or you will provide your own. Please read the following, and choose the ticket that best reflects your needs. 

1) Workshop cost + materials includes the workshop cost and all materials needed. They will be ready for you when you arrive and you take them home with you to continue your nature journalling.

2) Workshop cost only (no materials provided) is just the workshop, and assumes that you have or will get your own materials. 

We do have limited loaner supplies on hand, so if you need just one or two things from the list, or you aren’t sure about making an investment just for this class, please email Abby to discuss and she will guide you to the best ticket option for you.  

Materials List:

• Mixed Media Sketchbook with thick pages, that will accept pen and watercolor
  • Suggestion: Canson Mixed Media 9×12

• Quality Watercolor Set with an assortment of colors
  • Suggestion: Winsor & Newton Cotman Field Set 14 colors

• Watercolor Brush The brush (size 4) that comes  in your travel set is a nice universal size. If you want to expand your collection It is nice to have a larger brush (size 6 or 8) for washes and large areas and smaller brush (size 2 or 3) for smaller details. Single brushes can be purchased at Blick Art supplies online or in person.  Amazon has the set below that has an assortment.
  • Suggestion: Winsor & Newton Cotman 4-Brush Set

• Micron Pen 01 or 02 (waterproof ink pen). These can easily be purchased as a single at Blick Art Supplies, Craft Warehouse, etc.
  • Suggestion: Amazon pack of 3

• Mechanical Pencil

• Small lidded jar for water This could be a jelly jar, plastic water bottle and leak proof water container.  

• Small rag or towel for dabbing your brush 

• Optional
• Ruler
• Non Photo Blue Pencil

 

Betsy has always found art and nature to be powerful and driving forces in her life.  She was a native to the Pacific Northwest, before traveling to Los Angeles, CA for school where she attended both Otis Parsons School Art and Design and Whittier College. It was in school that she decided to combine her passion for art with the need to share that through education. She majored in both printmaking and child development, continuing on to recieve her Masters in Education with an emphasis on art education. She continued on to teach graduate courses in art education and worked at the LA County Museum of Art before returning home to the beautiful PNW. 

When she returned, she continued teaching and running her own art studio, bringing art to both children and adults. Drawing and painting have always been a huge part of her life and how she documents and shares the natural world around her. While raising her family, photography began to take on a greater and greater role in how she captures the world around her, especially nature.  Now she is an avid wildlife photographer that loves to immerse herself in nature and bring its beauty to others. 

Many years ago, she was introduced to the fabulous work of John Muir Laws, the guru and driving force of nature journalling. She was instantly drawn in, seeing an intersection of all the things she loves.  Personally, she loved the stillness and connection to nature it provided—a perfect platform for closer, more thoughtful observation and questioning.  Even more importantly, she was drawn to the important role nature journalling can play in helping people connect with the preciousness and fragility of our rapidly changing world. She believes the most powerful way to inspire people to care for our earth is the help them build meaningful connections with nature, whether you bring nature’s story to people through photography, or bring people to nature to connect with its smallest pieces through nature journalling.