Nature Journaling at the Laguna with Marley Peifer Workshop and field trip

Do you want to experience nature with fresh eyes? Do you want to notice, understand, and remember more of the vibrant world around you? This fun class will teach you the tools used by the greatest naturalists of all time. Using pencils, ink, and watercolors, we will create sketches and take notes of our encounters with the fascinating biodiversity of the Laguna de Santa Rosa. In this class, we will assemble one of the most powerful tool-kits for learning about Nature. Following in the footsteps of Audubon, Humboldt, and Darwin, we will reunite art and science in a creative synthesis that is fun, functional, and aesthetically engaging. By the end of the class you will have sharper eyes, better nature awareness, and a beautiful journal documenting your experience. You will also possess the tools and mindset necessary to pursue a life-long learning adventure.

Beginning and ending at Heron Hall, most of this workshop will take place outdoors at the Laguna Environmental Center and carpooling to a nearby location along the Laguna. Total walking will be 1-2 miles on mostly flat but uneven terrain. Snacks and hot drinks will be provided in the morning. Participants bring their own lunch. A complete list of supplies to bring will be sent upon registration, including sketchbook and watercolor field palette. This workshop is suitable for adults, but open to families with children 10 years and above, if the children are comfortable outdoors and self-motivated and focused around learning in nature. Rain cancels, and our backup rain date is the next Sunday, November 25.

Marley Peifer lives in Sebastopol where he practices gardening, wildlife tracking, and painting. He longs for a reintegration of art with science and words with images, a synthesis that he develops in his journaling. Nature journaling has been a fundamental practice for Marley ever since he discovered how it ignited his other interests and accelerated his learning.