Kathy B.

Here's my journal page from March 16. Liz had just taught us to look for our "Sit Spot"; our place to sit, sketch and make observations. However, it was too chilly to be outside as I noted, so I watched a Carolina Wren, my favorite bird, from my window, and made a few quick gesture sketches. These wrens have the most animated body language that changes their shape from sleek to puffy and fat as they hop, run and launch themselves into the air. I see them year round in Southern Illinois; they often build nests in the most inopportune spots, regardless of human activity. I wrote: "A wren, one of our pair who've made a nest in the wreath by to our front door, sitting on the crook (that holds) a lantern. He bobs and looks left, bobs and looks right, repeats then hops down to the birdbath. Again bob, tail up, tail down, bob, look look..." Thanks to all my fellow students for their insights and lists of favorite nature writers and poets and shared journal pages. I'd like to add Hannah Hinchman, nature journalist extradinaire to our list, and Michale Pollan for his wonderful book, "The Botany of Desire", and artist Andy Goldsworthy who creates the most splendid ephemeral sculptures outdoors from twigs, rocks, leaves, sand and ice. His work can be experienced in the video, "Rivers and Tides, Andy Goldsworthy, Working with Time" from 2001.  It's reassuring to know there are so many other nature lovers out there. Kathy B.

Liz makes painting outdoors look so simple! I had my first experience painting in my garden, perched on a stool, balancing my pallet between journal pages; clutching a folded paper towel and trying not to drop my water brush or drip paint on my leg. My first obstacle was finding a location where I wasn't looking at the bright whiteness of sun or dancing tree shadows on the page, and still had an uninterrupted view of my subject and was out of the wind and drifts of white pine pollen.  I did manage a half hour outside getting the basics of my "St Francis " garden, before a rumble of thunder chased me indoor to finish. The result looks like I forgot most every technique Liz taught us while her words ring in my head; "Art is a skill--whatever you put into it is what you'll get out of it--the only reason I'm good at drawing (and painting) is I do it every day."  I'll keep at it until painting outdoors becomes a breeze!  Kathy B.

1. Drawing from a photo, especially birds or other creatures who move frequently, is easier when we're learning but my painting felt stiff and lacked life. 2.  I had to look carefully when trying to draw the arrangement of feathers and it didn't turn out as well as I hoped, but I'm getting used to the paint brush and the pencil. I wouldn't have noticed the very particular feather positions if I wasn't struggling to get them right. I need an anatomy course on birds! 3. In nature journaling out in the field or observing and drawing birds at my feeder my marks would have been much freer and livelier. He liveliness is what I liked about D.J. McNeil's journal.  K. Belletire