Journaling With Nature

Latest Episodes:

Episode 17: Melinda Nakagawa – Nature, science, art & heart Nov 29, 2020

Show notes

Melinda Nakagawa is a scientist, nature connection mentor and nature journal teacher. Melinda has a background in marine biology and brings a scientist’s eye to her nature journal observations. Her work is all about gently guiding others to connect with the natural world by tapping into curiosity and wonder. In this way, Melinda is able to bridge nature, science, art and heart in her work.

Listen to hear more about:

Melinda’s early nature experiences on her family flower farm.
Melina’s ‘spark bird’ and how she came to ornithology.
How sharing our joy of nature with others can be a gift that just might change a person’s life.
The international community of nature journalers that is growing due to the changes that have happened globally in 2020.
The benefits of an online format for nature journaling communities.
How nature journaling in community can be fun and encouraging.
How to give feedback that encourages and guides others, without focusing on pretty pictures.
Leaning into the ‘heart’ while nature journaling and how we can begin to go at nature’s pace.

Find Melinda’s work on her website sparkinnature.com. For more information about Melinda’s nature journaling classes visit this page. Join in the virtual meetings of the Monterey Bay Nature Journal Club.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 16: Alex Boon - 'What else is here?' Nov 22, 2020

Show notes

Alex Boon is a nature artist and writer from East Devon, UK. His work centres around the wildlife and landscapes of Britain and embodies a deep sense of place. From his first nature experiences as a child, through his development as an artist, to his current projects, this conversation explores Alex’s practice and process as a nature journaler and writer.

Listen to hear more about:

How journal keeping can preserve detailed memories of place and time.
The four different types of journal Alex keeps, and why.
The power of nature writing.
How Alex brings his meditation practice to nature.
Lapine Botanica, an art project inspired by the book Watership Down.

Find out more about Alex and his work at alexboonart.com as well as on Instagram @alexboonart. The artworks in the series Lapine Botanica can be purchased as cards, postcards, stickers and art prints from Alex’s Etsy store.

Some of the artists and nature writers that Alex mentioned:

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 15: Tania Marien – Art, creativity and community Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Tania Marien is an independent educator who aims to facilitate connection with nature through her projects. Tania is the host of Talaterra podcast, a show where she investigates the contribution that freelance environmental educators make to lifelong learning in communities. In this episode Tania talks about her days creating opportunities for people to connect with plants through art and creativity.

Listen to hear more about:

Tania’s first memories of being in nature.
How Tania started ArtPlantae, a project aimed at helping others understand and connect with plants.
Using art activities to investigate plants during community events.
Tania’s favourite art media and drawing techniques.
The Freelance Condition and Lifelong Learning in Communities project.

Find out more about Tania and her work at www.talaterra.com and www.taniamarien.com as well as on Twitter. Read about ArtPlantae here.

Listen to Talaterra podcast to hear stories of freelance environmental professionals from around the world.

To connect with other freelance environmental professionals, visit The Trailhead, an open forum for independent environmental educators.

Tania has a page on bookshop.org where you can browse her curated list of books on environmental education for adults and children.

Here are several plant books for children (some are reviewed by Tania on ArtPlantae):

Understanding Photosynthesis with Max Axiom, Super Scientist

Why would anyone cut a tree down? - Roberta Murzyński

A Log’s Life - Wendy Pfeffer and Robin Brinkman

Who will plant a tree? - Jerry Pallotta and Tom Leonard

From Seed to Plant - Gail Gibbons

A Seed is Sleepy - Dianna Aston and Sylvia Long

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 14: Julia Bausenhardt – Exploration and discovery through art and nature Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

Julia Bausenhardt is an illustrator and nature enthusiast who teaches art techniques through connection with nature. She uses her sketchbook as a tool for exploration, experimentation and discovery.

Living in the small city of Kassel, Germany, Julia uses her nature journal to explore the magical landscape that was the setting for the stories of The Brothers Grimm.

As a nature journaling teacher, Julia's gentle style and enthusiasm for nature shines through and you will have the feeling that you are learning from a friend.

Listen to hear more about:

How nature experiences in Julia’s childhood and encouragement from her parents helped foster her love of nature.
How Julia uses her sketchbook as a tool for exploration, experimentation and discovery.
How Julia came to love birds and sketching birds.
The fairy tale landscape where Julia lives, in Kassel, Germany.
The experience of quitting social media and Julia’s reasons for taking this step.

For more information and to see Julia’s work, take a look at her website juliabausenhardt.com and Youtube channel.

Julia’s blog post Q & A one year after quitting social media:

One year after I quit social media Q & A Part 1.

One year after I quit social media Q & A Part 2.

Julia mentioned Bernd Heinrich, nature writer and biologist who influenced her in her early years. You can find out more here.

The book Bethan mentioned was The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy by Michael McCarthy.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 13: Robin Carlson – Fire ecology and the changing landscape Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

Robin Carlson is a biologist and natural science illustrator who has a deep interest in documenting how landscapes and ecological communities change over time. In particular, her work focuses on fire ecology and how habitats regenerate after fire. She comes from California, where fire is a part of life and a part of natural systems.

Listen to hear more about:

How Robin uses 'ecoreportage’ to closely observe her landscape and its changes over time.
Art and nature journaling as a method of scientific communication.
Fire ecology and the changing landscape in California.
Ecological succession after disturbance.
The difference between a prescribed burn and cultural burn.
Ways to document change after disturbance in your own nature journal.

For more information and to see Robin’s work, take a look at her website robinleecarlson.com and her blog Wildfire to Wildflowers. Robin is also on Instagram @anthroposcenesketchbook.

Listen to the podcast that was mentioned: How to Save a Planet: Fighting Fire with Fire.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 12: John Muir Laws – Sustained, compassionate attention Oct 25, 2020

Show notes

John Muir Laws (aka Jack) is an artist, naturalist and nature journaling mentor. He has been journaling for decades, has written many books on nature journaling and is working tirelessly to bring nature into the minds and hearts of people across the world. Jack talks about how paying sustained compassionate attention to nature and to the people in our lives, profoundly changes the way we relate to each other and interact in the world.

Listen to hear more about:

The power of sustained compassionate attention to connect you to others and to the world around you.
The importance of mentors.
How your nature journal can be used as a tool for looking inward.
How wonder and beauty represent the head and the heart of nature journaling for Jack.
How nature journaling with a posture of gratitude can bring positive changes into your life.
How the connection and community, found through nature journaling, can act as the antidote to separation and isolation of the modern world.
How falling in love with the nature through journaling will change the way you interact with the world.

Jack’s website: www.johnmuirlaws.com.

Podcast Episode with Tania Marian from Talaterra describing Jack's history and how he came to nature journaling: John Muir Laws - Community Building Through Nature Journaling.

Video from the educators forum: Gratitude, Nature, Depression, Healing, and Growth.

Link to the book ‘How to Teach Nature Journaling’ by John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren: How to Teach Nature Journaling.

Nature Journal Club Facebook group: The Nature Journal Club.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 11: Fiona Gillogly – Questions behind the questions Oct 18, 2020

Show notes

Fiona Gillogly is an inspiring 17-year-old nature journaler who has taken the art of questioning to a new level. Fiona has been described by John Muir Laws as having 'insatiable curiosity' and she uses this to dive into the mysteries of nature around her.

Listen to hear more about:

How school and family life gave Fiona plenty of experiences in nature as a child.
How a chance encounter with John Muir Laws sparked a profound friendship and began Fiona’s journey into nature journaling.
How nature journaling supports and informs Fiona’s other passion: birding.
How nature journaling has changed the way Fiona interacts at school.
How young people can be supported to find their voice and make change in the world.

Find out more about Fiona on her website www.fionasongbird.com.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 10: Jean Mackay – The art of discovery Oct 11, 2020

Show notes

Jean Mackay is an artist, educator and naturalist. She uses her art practice as a way of capturing and appreciating the small moments in everyday life and teaches that we can all become explorers of the world around us.

Listen to hear more about:

Jean’s unique educational experience during her university years.
How she tackles the task of depicting complex subjects in her journal.
Using simple design principles to put together a page.
How the experience of listening to the dawn chorus changed her view of birding.
How keeping a nature journal connects her with the naturalists and explorers from history.
About her new book ‘The Nature Explorer’s Sketchbok’.

Find out more about Jean on her website www.jeanmackayart.com and on Instagram. You can purchase The Nature Explorer’s Sketchbook from Tumblehome Books and from Amazon.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 9: Ali Foxon – Green sketching and the pursuit of joy Oct 04, 2020

Show notes

Ali Foxon is a geographer and artist living in England. In our conversation, Ali shares how she went from being a climate change researcher and advisor, to being an artist and ‘joy spotter’ when she founded Boggy Doodles. She has created ‘green sketching’, a new way to bring together art and nature in the pursuit of joy.

Listen to hear more about:

Ali’s history in academic research.
How sleep deprivation in her son’s first year led her to an epiphany.
How nature connection can become part of your ‘Mental First Aid Kit’ during times of stress and turmoil.
Three little known facts about Ali’s life that will make you smile.
How sensitivity can be a super-power in life and work.

Find out more about Ali and green sketching on her website www.boggydoodles.com and through Instagram. You can also find Ali’s TEDx talk here.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

Episode 8: Elizabeth Mills - Nature journaling on the rocky shore Sep 27, 2020

Show notes

Elizabeth Mills is a marine biologist, science communicator and creator of the amazing YouTube channel Marine Mumbles. She is passionate about marine life and the wonders that can be found in the ocean. In our conversation she shares many stories of bizarre and beautiful creatures that she has encountered through her work and study.

Listen to hear more about:

Why there are so many bizarre creatures in marine environments.
How Elizabeth uses nature journaling to understand marine life.
World records held by limpets and barnacles.
How Elizabeth uses science communication skills in her work.
Ocean optimism and how it can help us protect nature.

Find Elizabeth’s work on her website marinemumbles.com, YouTube channel Marine Mumbles and on Instagram and Twitter.

Thanks for listening!

www.journalingwithnature.com

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