Giving Back - Nature Sketchbook Journaling at CT Audubon Society in Pomfret, CT

I've just recently completed the Master Naturalist class offered by the Connecticut Audubon Society in Pomfret, CT. All of my classmates agreed that we've barely scratched the surface.  But we've been fascinated, enchanted, and amazed at the things we have learned each week. Life around us is never boring - there is always something new to learn and wonder about! 

As part of our course, we agree to share what we've learned with others - in the form of volunteer hours.  The facility and grounds in Pomfret offers so much! Our summer programs are beginning this month, and I am offering a series of Nature Sketchbook Journaling (yes, as my form of volunteering!). 

I do hope you'll join us at the Pomfret Center, here's the address so you'll find us on these Saturdays (listed below):

Grassland Bird Conservation Center

218 Day Road

Pomfret Center, CT 06259

(860) 928-4948

 The schedule is as follows: 

Saturdays, June 4, June 25, July 23 or August 20, 

9a.m. to Noon

You'll spend time outdoors sketching and painting from nature, using pencil, pen and watercolor. Learn new skills or develop ones you already have.

I'll show you how to simplify what you see and teach you basic drawing and quick intuitive watercolor techniques. Enhance your creativity, observe nature, record the day and enjoy the meditative qualities of sketching outdoors. 

*Cost per day: $5 CAS members, $10 non-members. (all fees go to CT Audubon)

*Materials you'll need to bring:

-Pencil, eraser

-Permanent, waterproof, black drawing pen

-Watercolors (a travel size or kid's set)

-Watercolor brush (or waterbrush)

-Watercolor Sketchbook or 'multi-media sketchbook' (regular paper will buckle)

-Water Bottle

-Small plastic container for holding water/rinsing

-Camp chair or stool to sit on outside

 Please share this post with friends who may be interested!!

And the decorations are coming down....

Starting with the angel, and the ribbons, then the glass icicles, gold glass balls, and all the pretty little things...they will all get stored away for another year! Between all the family, fun and festivities...I stretched out the making of these 2 pages over several days! Yes, it's in a Stillman & Birn Zeta series sketchbook. I'm usually quite fond of a textured paper, but this is smooth, and I'm finding that I'm enjoying this type of paper as well.

Planting Ideas In Fertile Soil-Thoughts on Sketchbooks

"Paintings are like plants that grow from little seeds. Plant enough of these seeds in your sketchbook and some of them will surely blossom."
- Dan McCaw from "A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art"

Thought I'd share some thoughts on sketchbooks. A fellow artist whose work is such crazy-imaginative-on-all levels-fun recently posted one of her daily paintings on her blog, along with some thoughts on sketchbooks. Which I LOVE- it's like a private conversation with the artist, or maybe 'eaves-dropping' into this conversation! Brenda York really got me thinking about this, "It definitely feels a little like your slip is showing, however..." she says!
So - thanks Brenda, I think maybe a 'tag-team-blog-sharing' of sketchbooks might be a fun thing! On a recent week in mid-September I had the chance to go down to Washington, DC with my husband, who had business down there. We took the train, so I wanted to pack light, and didn't want to lug a lot of paint gear, but of course, I took one favorite sketchbook. Had a chance to sit & sketch one of my daughters (which I'm sure bores the daylights out of her, but she tolerates her mom's peculiarities really well). We got to laughing because her hand under her chin starting going numb and she began moving it...at which point it seemed like it was all over her face! hahah. It's a small sketch in a little 5x7? book, but it's amazing how strong the memory of that moment is - when you take the time to sketch it out.

From my other sketch-books you can see how I work out some compositional ideas, whether a design will fit a certain format, or how will the values make this a stronger piece? Sometimes, it's just some 'glorified doodling', which is quite fun on it's own...sketch and hopefully the brain will follow! Depending on what I'm after, my favorite tools are sharpie markers or ball-point pens. I like to use books with heavier or even watercolor paper- to keep the marker from bleeding through- or if I want to add a bit of color later, with watercolor or colored pencil or marker. And as one of my favorite living artists, Dan McCaw says in his book, "A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art", "I can record my random ideas, free-flowing thoughts, subjects or ideas that intrinsically move me. It's like daydreaming with a pen or in little watercolor roughs. I even like to put notes in my sketchbooks. They become a little bit of a diary to look back on. I often refer to my sketchbooks and find ideas I had forgotten about."
McCaw's book has been one of my favorite resources over the years. It never ceases to encourage and inspire me.

Welcome to my latest new subscribers! I do hope you enjoy the paintings, photos & stories! I always love hearing comments from my readers!!