I had the pleasure recently of attending a workshop led by naturalist Clare Walker Leslie, who is a prolific artist and author. Clare is a passionate proponent of art-based nature journalling, well-evidenced in her many journals. Seeing her journals is a delight – they are rich with drawings of the natural world, observations, and connections to her experiences. Her drawing style is beautiful – in some cases, quick and gestural to capture the shape of a bird before it flies off into the bush; in others, detailed, well-worked watercolours or coloured pencil drawings created in her studio from outdoor sketches and field guides. She spends a lot of time in classrooms with students, encouraging them to use drawing (or mark-making, as she prefers to call it) as a way to closely observe the flora and fauna around them – an important step towards developing their ecological literacy. Clare delivered three workshops in Toronto, including one at the Master of Teaching Environmental Education conference at OISE. It was refreshing to get outside – yes, even in a cold Ontario winter – just to draw, and to be reminded of the power of journaling as an ongoing learning activity for learners of all ages. For more info on Clare, or to order one of her books, please visit her website at:
http://www.clarewalkerleslie.com/index.htm
