Curious About … Backyard Nature Journaling?

I’ve designed the “Curious About” series to help us all build new connections with the plants and animals who share our Wenatchee Valley home during the pandemic. Today, I’m pleased to introduce Wenatchee Naturalist, Jane Zanol, as guest blogger.

With Spring in the air and time on our hands, I thought you might want to explore nature journaling.  Although this is often practiced out in the field while looking at plants, animals, or vistas, there is no reason you can’t start today in your own backyard. 

After I took my first nature journaling workshop from Leavenworth artist Heather Wallis Murphy in April, 2012, the first thing I did when I returned home was go out in my yard and choose some plants to draw. 

My lavender was blooming, so I drew it with a pencil in a notebook of watercolor paper.  I used pencil when I first started because I thought pen was too frighteningly permanent.  Then I painted in a little color. 

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You could also use watercolor pencils—those are fun because you can use them as they are or add a little water afterwards for mixing and shading. 

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I have painted my poppies, my iris and my rhododendron.

This rhododendron painting came on a rainy day during a rainy week in spring when I was stuck inside.  I sat on the porch under the eave and drew and painted this flower.

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The geometric leaves of my Oregon Grape, along with the bright yellow blossoms among the glossy green and red leaves, are particularly appealing right now.  You could draw the whole shrub or just focus on a blossom surrounded by a few leaves. 

When I’m outside with my journal and my pen or pencil, I try not to think too much about whether my drawing or painting will be “good.”  I try to turn off that part of my brain that might be critical and instead focus on the subject of my sketch.  I look at the shape, I look at the light, I look at the colors.  I think about those things, and how I can invoke those on the page.  This focus allows me to enjoy what I’m doing and notice more details about the natural world than I would on a regular walk or stroll around my garden.  Sometimes I’m pleased with how well a painting turns out, but I’m always delighted by the time I spend with my nature journal outside. 

Nature drawing and painting resources:

Hinchman, Hannah. A Trail Through Leaves: The Journal as a Path to Place.  New York:  W.W.  Norton, 1997.

Leslie, Clare Walker and Charles E. Roth. Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New                              

Way of Seeing the World Around You. North Adams, MA: Storey, 2000.

Siegel, Jude.  A Pacific Northwest Nature Sketchbook. Portland:  Timber Press, 2006.

Editor’s note: Find many Nature Journal lesson ideas for teachers and parents – click on the Wenatchee Naturalist “TEACHER” tab on the home page. Learn more about using nature journaling as a scientific practice on the Bibliography webpage. Many contemporary field biologists rely on journaling – read brief summaries of their publications here. Free nature journaling webinars have been announced on the John Muir Laws website.

Jane Zanol retired as Director of the Composition program at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri in 2010.  She moved to Wenatchee in October, 2010.  She volunteers for the Chelan Douglas Land Trust, Upper Basin Birders, NCW Audubon and the Wenatchee River Institute. She enjoys birding, hiking, kayaking, calligraphy and art.