Nature Journaling Field Session With John Muir Laws

We will spend the morning exploring the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge with John Muir Laws! Meetup location provided with registration. 

The Northwest Nevada Bird Alliance is excited to host a special Nature Journaling workshop with John Muir Laws (aka Jack) in Fallon. This workshop is limited to 30 people and a high-clearance vehicle and carpooling are highly recommended. In the morning field session, we will visit sites that may include wetland or salt desert birds. With migration and nesting season underway, we are bound to discover some interesting behavior and the backdrop of water, sky, and open landscapes offers for some great scenes for journaling. We will explore the refuge roads to discover some of the special plants and animals that inhabit these wetlands of hemispheric importance. Jack will give us some tips on techniques we could use, prompts to engage our curiosity, and help us in our journeys to connect with our Nevada landscapes and ecosystems. As we observe, we learn, and as we record, we become more engaged, thus more aware of the interconnectedness of our world and the importance of preserving our wild spaces. You do not need to be an artist or a naturalist to join us. John Muir Laws is a talented artist and teacher, and he will provide us with the tools that allow us to learn and develop our own styles of notes, observations, and sketches. Anyone can learn. In this class, we will explore the importance of water as a limited resource in the desert. The Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge provides a critically important water source for migrating birds each spring and fall. This spring, we will celebrate their annual movements through observations, notes, sketches, and group discussion. What will we discover? Come explore with us and learn from a well-known author, illustrator, teacher, and leader of science illustration and nature drawing. This workshop is for anyone who is curious about connecting with the natural world. Cost: $25. A $5 Discount Code for Northwest Nevada Bird Alliance And Churchill Arts members will be sent via email.

Recommended materials to bring: Sketchbook, favorite portable drawing tools, binoculars/spotting scope, portable chair or jacket to sit on, water, sunscreen, hat, and sturdy walking shoes.

John Muir Laws is a principal leader and innovator of the worldwide nature journaling movement. He is a naturalist, artist, and educator who has dedicated his work to connecting people to nature through art and science. From an early age, his parents instilled in him a deep love and respect for nature. Over the years, that love has grown into a commitment to stewardship and a passion to share the delight of exploring nature with others.

The Northwest Nevada Bird Alliance (formerly Lahontan Audubon Society) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. We are a chapter of the National Audubon Society and based in Reno, Nevada. We are dedicated to preserve and improve the remaining habitat of birds and other wildlife, restore historical habitat, and educate people, especially children, about birds in our unique Nevada environments. We thank the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for providing grant funds that enable us to offer this special interactive workshop with John Muir Laws. All proceeds from this workshop will be used to support the artist and our birding community.