Nature Journaling

Service Description

Nature journaling can be a portal into seeing the world around us in new ways, but also into the world within us. When we stimulate curiosity and learn about seeing vs looking, contemplate on our experiences in nature, and learn how to express those in words and pictures, we nurture a finer sensitivity to both our external and internal environments through reflection. When we notice and pay attention, have feelings and thoughts about something, we come into relationship with it. Yes, nature journaling can offer us an opportunity for all of this! This workshop is designed to help participants learn how to discover, how to ask meaningful questions and find details, what it means to document and articulate experiences, how visual storytelling can enhance that articulation, and how to develop greater observation skills. Through this, you can learn to experience the natural world, not just move through it. Worried that you aren't "artistic" enough for this? That's exactly why you would come! This workshop is designed to give you tools for expressing your observations. You may just surprise yourself. 😁 What to Expect: Classroom time: - View a variety of nature journal examples to get inspiration - Discuss purpose, types/themes of journals - Exercises that show the difference between looking and seeing - Work through various drawing and watercolor exercises - Writing prompts - Outdoor time: - Head outdoors to put what you've learned into practice! If you want to learn how to make your own paper and bind your own journal, be sure to take either our "Plants & Scraps Handmade Paper," workshop or one of our bookbinding workshops. What to Bring: - appropriate attire for the season to be outdoors - whatever bug spray you are comfortable with - water shoes to cross the creek in case we walk to the river All supplies + snacks + drinks provided. This workshop is for adults and hosted at the Wild Arts Learning Center in Springfield, MO. For locals: just out east Sunshine and around the bend from Turner's Station off J Hwy. The address and directions are emailed upon booking. BOOKING: If you don't see available dates within 30 days from the day you are looking, click "Book" and the next available class date will pop up.