August was a busy month, filled with high elevation camping in Colorado, and a lot of cool mountain hiking back home. Even though the lower elevations took on a hot and parched look, at 9,000 feet and higher the wildflower season was far from over as evidenced along roadways and trails, where fresh, colorful blooms could still be found.
The highlight of the month was a 3-1/2 day visit from my brother Bob and grandniece Livi. At 15 years of age, Livi is already a fine artist, and took to nature journaling like a pro! It was great fun discovering and sketching nature on our daily hikes. She even got a chance to hold one of the adult ornate short-horned lizards we see frequently along various trails, and then found a baby lizard on her own, hiding nearly motionless under a small plant. Her smiles were priceless!
Despite the high temps, it was a month of good days and nights, ending perfectly with the rising of a rare Super Full Blue Moon! If you missed it, there’s plenty of time to prepare for the next …… which occurs in March 2037.
Once again, a big shout-out to “Made by Fay” for the inspiring “Littles” idea! These pages are fun to create, and remind me of monthly highlights as I revisit my previous “Littles” posts. Hope you’re enjoying them too, along with the ending days of the season. Stay tuned for the next installment of “Littles.”
Welcome back to my nature journaling blog! Today I’m excited to introduce my grandniece, Alivia Rapp. Livi, who is a very creative 15 year old, and the daughter of one of my brother’s daughters, came to visit for 3-1/2 days with “Grandpa Bob” (that’s my brother).
Livi with her new love …. A Greater Short-horned Lizard
During the past year, Livi and I have been chatting online about her art, her storytelling skills and her keen imagination in character development which she has honed through many years of daily practice. Then last year, enrolled in a beginning art class where she quickly demonstrated her artistic skills, her teacher bumped her into the advanced class. It was obvious Livi was in her element! She excelled in all of her art assignments which included still life and nature studies, portraits and perspective drawing, using a wide variety of tools such as pencil, pen, watercolor, acrylic, and colored pencil. Her first love of Anime and fantasy storytelling showed in her work too, and one of her creations was awarded a ribbon at her local spring fair. Congratulations Livi!
Now back to nature journaling. Every morning, Livi and I (equipped with sketchbooks and pens), Bob and Roy (carrying daypacks with water), set out for a bit of hiking and sketching nature discoveries along 3 different trails. Roy and I picked trails at different elevations with different habitat zones and views, knowing we’d have a variety of sketchable subjects. We weren’t disappointed!
My brother, Bob and granddaughter Livi on the Sandia Mountain Crest Trail
Hike #1 took us to the top of Sandia Mountain (10,679’) where we enjoyed many spectacular views of Albuquerque and the Rio Grande Valley a mile below, as we passed through a high elevation conifer forest on our way to the Kiwanis cabin. So many sketching opportunities ….. we each tackled the cabin, and Livi added a few of the 50+ lady beetles she discovered, then created a page with a raven, painted lady butterfly, a red paintbrush flower and aspen leaf. I chose a view, some wildflowers and the charming “Snack bar” marker (haha). Back at home we completed our sketches, adding watercolor pencil, with Livi being careful to note the names of my supplies she tried out.
The Kiwanis Cabin and CCC construction plaque; a few of the lady beetles Livi discovered near the trailhead
Livi and Barb hard at work sketching the Kiwanis Cabin
Livi’s wildlife composition along the Sandia Mountain Creat Trail
Hike #2 and we all hiked the upper loop trail at Golden Open Space which sits at about 6300’. The scenery and views were some of Bob’s favorites, so Livi and I spent about 5 minutes sketching one of the prettiest looking East towards the Ortiz and San Pedro Mountains and South Mountain. Then a great surprise discovery along the trail ….. an Eastern Collared Lizard! That was the first collared lizard Roy and I had ever seen at Golden, and after a few photos he decided to rise up on his tippy-toes and run like the wind! Then our second surprise …. we nearly stumbled over a beautifully ornate Greater short-horned lizard ….the lizard referred to by many as a “horny toad.” Before he could get away, Roy was able to snatch him up, roll him over on his back so he could get a belly rub that put the lizard to sleep. Sort of. Then after being entertained by a few erratically running fire engine red velvet ants, we had our 3rd great surprise, thanks to Livi’s eagle eye! A baby greater short-horned lizard that was trying to escape our view was also snatched up by Roy, and also became very sleepy. So cute. Livi was so glad we didn’t encounter any tarantulas, but declared that she loves the horned lizards! Back at home we finished our landscape sketches, and created pages illustrating the lizards. As an exercise in comparison, Livi dissected then sketched a few prickly pear “tunas” (the fruit) and a dried fruit from one of the chollas. She also cut into a large banana yucca fruit ….. which reminded her of a cucumber. Very interesting and fun!
Livi’s sketch of the San Pedro Mountains, colored with pan pastels
Golden Open Space was full of surprises! Livi’s journal page illustrating just a few!
Livi holding the baby greater short-horned lizard she found.
Hike #3 and we were back up Sandia Mountain and hiked the out-and-back 2.5 mile Tecolote Trail which sits at about 8500’ elevation. We had more beautiful views of the valleys below and the Sandia Mountain ski slope (which we sketched), and identified quite a few wildflowers, trees and shrubs. On the way down the trail we were surprised by a lovely mule deer doe as she quietly and carefully picked her way through the forest. Back at home we completed our sketches which included a wildflower drawing of a buckwheat plant, the seed and a leaf of an alder leaf mahogany shrub, and several sketches of oak leaves which we each tried as a blind contour drawing and a contiguous line drawing. Hey, they looked pretty good too! Back at home we rested, exhausted by our artistic efforts. But after Livi returned to her home near Seattle, she completed all of her pages and shared them with me.
Livi and Bob about to embark on the Tecolote Trail
Livi’s journal page with on location sketching exercises
Roy and I had fun sharing our love of New Mexico with Bob and Livi. And I especially loved getting to know Livi and sharing my love of nature journaling with her! Livi and I will definitely be staying in touch throughout the school year as she begins grade 10 and a new session of the advanced art class. I can’t wait to see shat she learns and creates!
Thanks for wanting to come visit and sketch, Livi …. and thanks to Grandpa Bob for bringing you along. It was awesome!
Here’s my sketches from the 3-1/2 days. I loved every minute!
Until next time ……. Take a friend nature journaling!
Last April I was asked to present a workshop about nature journaling for the 2023 Master Naturalists interns. Of course I readily agreed by declaring a hearty, “Yes!” This was quite an honor, but I instantly knew it would be challenging especially since I’ve never formally taught anyone anything about nature journaling. I would also be stepping into some big shoes; the regular instructor, Margy O’Brien (a wonderful journaler and urban sketcher), had to decline teaching this year, and she recommended me. Wow, a double honor!!
Sketching while walking around the Bosque at the Rio Grande Nature Center
So “drawing” upon my own journaling practice, and the treasure trove of information and resources available on the subject, my goal was to design a workshop that would be informative, inspiring and fun.
Sketching while walking around the Bosque at the Rio Grande Nature Center
After weeks of research, writing, and gathering baskets of phenomenon, the workshop day finally arrived!
Sketching while walking around the Bosque at the Rio Grande Nature Center
But first, my warm-up …..
Joining almost 30 interns that gathered early in the morning, we began the day with a 3-hour guided nature walk through the Bosque (Boh-skay) managed by the Rio Grande Nature Center, Albuquerque. The Bosque, the Spanish word for “Woods,” refers to the cottonwood gallery forest and riparian habitat lining the Rio Grande River. During the walk, I took notes and sketched some of the wildlife, landscapitos, and the tour group, all the while watching the excited interns in action. As budding Master Naturalists, they were curious about everything; noticing so much and asking thoughtful questions. It was a great morning that included some surprising discoveries and discussion.
Sketching while walking around the Bosque at the Rio Grande Nature Center
Sketching while walking around the Bosque at the Rio Grande Nature Center
My first nature journaling workshop!
Then it was time for the workshop. The next 90 minutes flew by …. not nearly enough time to share what I wanted to about nature journaling and to have everyone create an actual journal page. But I loved every minute of the experience. My focus was on the 6 key nature journaling prompts, I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds me of; Words, Pictures, Numbers. After warming up with several exercises, such as blind contour, continuous line and gesture sketching leaves and birds, each intern began creating their own journal page using their chosen phenomenon …… a mystery fruit. Although the time allocated for the workshop was short, everyone actively participated and seemed to get value from the presentation. Maybe, just maybe, one or all of the interns will become practicing nature journalers? That would be awesome!
Nature Journaling Workshop Handouts
Workshop Take-aways
In addition to my 6-page handout which included tips on how to get started nature journaling, what to include in a nature journal kit, a list of books and online references (including videos, podcasts, and blogs), and the handy little pocket-sized “Quick Start Guide to Nature Journaling” Zine (thanks Wild Wonder!), I left them with these inspiring thoughts:
“Anyone can nature journal.” ……… “Nature journaling is not about learning to draw; it’s about drawing to learn.” ……. “You don’t have to be an artist to nature journal.” ……. “It’s not about pretty pictures.” ……. “There’s no wrong way to nature journal.” ……. “Zoom in …… Zoom out.” ……. “Have fun!”
Nature Journaling Workshop Handouts
Would I do this again? Absolutely!
I’d love to know if you are a nature journaler too, or would like to learn more about nature journaling and how to begin!
Oh my goodness! What a brilliant Spring Super Bloom is on display mere steps east of Albuquerque.
Alas, I found myself lamenting for months over the long and snowy wet winter we just climbed out of here in the East Mountains of central New Mexico. It seemed the back-to-back snowstorms since last November were never ending; snow shoveling every morning became the norm. But I know better than to whine. An abundance of winter moisture always results in a spectacular abundance of spring flowers. And this Spring has proven that true.
Scrambled Eggs
The last two months we’ve seen a mad splash of sunshine yellow from the blooming of a native winter annual called Golden Corydalis, aka Scrambled Eggs (Corydalisaurea). This member of the poppy family quickly converted the dusty hillsides from brown to a glowing yellow as the many-flowered stalks of this plant seemed to shoot up over last season’s dried grasses. Scrambled Eggs was the plant I thought would be our Spring super bloomer.
But, oh no!
During a full two weeks of being distracted by the glow of all that yellow, all around our feet, 1,000s and 1,000s of blue-gray-green rosettes began to grow. I noticed these rosettes (the very same mystery rosettes I described in my January journal), were rapidly expanding outward to make room for flower stalks heavily laden with little rosy orange buds. And then one day one of those buds unfurled into a brilliantly white 4-petaled flower. In the center of that flower were 8 lemon-yellow pollen-heavy anthers surrounding a 4-fingered lemon-yellow stigma, ripe for pollination. Of course …… now I knew with certainty ….. the flower blooming atop the pretty winter rosettes is the White-stemmed Evening Primrose (Oenotheraalbicaulis)!
One of my January posts included this page where I illustrated a mystery rosette (top center) that seemed to be everywhere.
Also known as Whitest Evening Primrose, it wasn’t long until more flowers began to appear. “But, wow, was it possible that all those 1,000s and 1,000s of rosettes would each produce a bouquet of flowers?” Hiking these foothills every day paid of. As the excitement of possibility steadily unfolded, hundreds of thousands of large 2-4” white flowers unfurled each evening about sunset to greet potential overnight pollinators, and to welcome hikers the following morning.
My journal page illustrating the abundance of white-stemmed evening primroseA vista of whitewhite-stemmed evening primrose
In about a week since I noticed that first open flower, this native Evening Primrose was carpeting the hillsides in white as brilliant and sparkly as newly fallen snow. The ground became “Snow White” with flowers, out-performing the still profusely-blooming Scrambled Eggs.
And the show won’t end any time soon …. there are still an unbelievable number of White-stemmed Evening Primrose buds awaiting their turn to enter the play from stage right! Now that’s what I call a true Spring Super Bloomer.
A detailed page of my dissection of white-stemmed evening primrose
What marvelous transformations have or are happening outside your world this Spring?
Fascinated by the work that so many urban sketchers turn out, and further inspired by a few Sketchbook Revival 2023 sessions, it’s no wonder I wanted to try my hand at Urban Sketching. Joining the Albuquerque Urban Sketchers, my first outing was to a very iconic New Mexico shop called Jackalope. In some ways, this was a great place for lots of newbies (we didn’t have to brave the still freezing February temps), but then again it was very challenging. So many things to choose from! Here’s a few of my sketches. Because there were so many interesting trinkets, I decided to spend no more than 15 minutes on each, including some quick watercoloring.
This one was sketched from a life sized sculpture of a roadrunner. Meep! Meep!This was sketched from a very typical Santa Fe-style painted wood cabinet. To me this style always looks like the furniture was hooked up to the hitch of a pick-up truck and drug down a dirt road at breakneck speeds! Luckily the very large rooster clay pot wasn’t hurt in the process.Someone captured a photo of me working on my frog trivet sketch. You can see my dilemma deciding what to sketch! Stacks of trivets, all different, to choose from!This was one of my attempts to urban sketch “solo.” I found a bit of early spring buds while waiting for Roy to finish up a doctor appointment.
All of that was really fun, but not as easy as some urban sketchers make it seem. So I began practicing and searching on-line for a bit of sage advice.
On Saturday (April 15th) the Urban Sketchers met again, this time at Old Town Farm, downtown Albuquerque. With the chance of sketching some rusted farm equipment and broken down barns, I wanted in on this event. And besides, the breezy day was supposed to be warm … ideal for a bit of plein air sketching! Well, on a Saturday, this place was buzzing with visitors, ranging from bikers and hikers; people sitting and enjoying a morning coffee and carrot cake; several teams playing something like bochi ball; venders; puppies for adoption. This definitely broke my fear of public sketching while giving me an opportunity to improve on my people sketching skills. Here’s what I found to draw in a few hours.
This was a pretty cool old barn, and still in fine shape. Looks like I could use lots of practice sketching old buildings! But I did meet several delightful women also trying their hand at barn sketching! When I realized my barn sketch was going wonky, all I had to do was turn around and find this action scene! There were 2 teams of bowlers playing Pétanque (like bocci ball) in the dirt behind the barn, Here’s my quick sketch trying to capture their action and conversation. This was very fun. Afterwards I walked over to show them what I had done. The team leader was very excited about the sketch and asked if he could take a photo to use it as the team banner on their Facebook page! Of course I said, “Absolutely!”Hard to resist drawing an old truck. Although not a rusty heap, this beautifully restored 1939 Ford V8 was just begging to be sketched. I had a little fun with the character of this truck, and never intended to make it a perfect replica. But this really suits my style. Have I found my happy style?
Hope you enjoyed my urban sketching efforts! Look for more posts in the future.
For the last 6 years, I’ve participated in an annual, 2-week long sketching/mixed media event, Sketchbook Revival, founded and hosted by a talented sketchbook artist, Karen Abend. Every Spring, Karen brings together a cast of creative artists for a mega on-line teaching marathon, where each day, 2 1-hour sessions are shared with hundreds of participants. These sessions cover topics like basic mark-making, collage, caricature creation, drafting and perspective, composition, urban sketching, flowers, mammals and birds, portraits, map making, story telling, and on and on! This year a session in textiles was even included. Techniques were taught in using a wide-variety materials, such as watercolor, gouache, markers, pencil and pen, colored pencil, and many forms of mixed-media.
The whole fun event is designed to stretch your creative comfort zone by trying new things and experiencing new approaches to art making. And as incredible as it sounds, all you need to participate is your time and whatever materials you have on hand. Otherwise, it’s totally free! Wowza!
If this sounds irresistibly intriguing, and you just gotta-wanna participate next year, I’ll include a link below to find out more. Meanwhile, check out the photos of my Sketchbook Revival 2023 creations, filling up my handmade sketchbook (oh yeah, the pre-work session includes instructions on how to make your own sketchbook). I never expect to create works of art during the event; many of my pages are just plain awful. But no matter the result, I always made it fun! Enjoy!
Opening Session pages ….. the Charley Harper-ish birds at the bottom were my fillerThe page on the left …. Definitely right up my artistic alley. The one on the left was a great approach to using random prompts to make art. A keeper technique for me.Day 2 was “Blob” day. Always silly fun. Never know what may happen.These 2 pages took on a life of their own. I followed the instructors until I didn’t! Perfectly allowable. Still interesting results.I love experimenting with portraits and learning new ways to make them look real. Did I do that? The easier session with Tamara was a more comfortable fit for me. I liked my drawing, but the coloring was colorfully abstract ….. something really different for me. Sweet fox tho!Another approach to kick-start your artistic slump ….. and then the collage. Collage is never easy for me, or intuitive. The experiment in paper gluing was challenging for me.Ok ….. this must’ve been my finger painting day! Hahaha! Don’t think much came from the first session, so I took another approach with Session 2 and added one of my favorite McFarlane poems. Magpies are so clever!This was a session deserving more attention in some of my future blog posts. Sketch Noting is great fun, but turning the sketch notes into a roadmap? Brilliant. Really enjoyed the fun of this collage effort! And loved the urban sketchinglessons from Roisin Cure (and signed up for some of her follow-up classes which were outstanding)Wow! The more I play with urban sketching, the more in love I become. And Toni Burt’s approach really worked for me, especially when it comes to story telling! Stay tuned for more urban sketching in my journals! Session 2 on neurographic art was a bit too “out there” for me, so I skipped it (also allowable, as there are no rules to Sketchbook Revival). Then Session 1 the following day ….. another collage. Oh well! Another Roisin tutorial on succulents. I enjoyed her tips on creating convincing rosettes. And painting motifs was fun ….. mine took a Charley Harper twisted chicken turn. Couldn’t help myself.A little toilet paper roll stencil work on the left (weird) and some colorful abstract landscapes (otherworldly in a few cases, huh?)Oh wow! Textiles! Didn’t think this would resonate with me, but something clicked and after watching the session twice, I found myself deeply immersed in the practice of making Wabi Sabi fabric scrolls. A fascinating art form that’s intended to be imperfect, subtle and intimate while expressing both simplicity and impermanence. I don’t think my art expresses any of those things. But this approach to calming art making really drew me in. Hmmmm!Here’s my rolled up Wabi Sabi scrollAnd here’s my Wabi Sabi scroll all un rolled. I don’t know what meaning this has for me. Worth pondering?And the last day! Another year of Sketchbook Revival concluded and added to my past 5 years of sketchbook creations.Oh, just couldn’t resist another of Roisin’s tutorials. I’m rather found of this one ….. Cheers!
So if you’ve made it this far, and want to learn more about future Sketchbook Revival events, follow the link below:
a curious nature 