Connecting with nature just outside the front door

Even in a pandemic, and even in the frozen winter, we can find creativity, calm and inspiration exploring the trees we walk by every day. Trees are amazing connectors, and they have a lot to teach! This online workshop explores our how we are our intimate relationship with trees starts with our breath, and invites students to work with the five senses to observe, record and then share what they observe about trees. I share how I became fascinated with the plant world as a child, and how each of us can share our enthusiasm with others.

Activities

1. Learn the simple art of Tree Breathing: a way to center yourself creatively and connect with the world of trees.

2. Learn the steps Observe, Record, Share — the formula used by both artists and scientists to interpret the world around us.

3. Strengthen the five senses as you practice step 2.

4. Learn an easy way to draw flat and 3-d things like leaves or cones, capturing the unique details you notice so that you can share what you saw with another person or remember it for later.

5. Bonus: download a simple Naturalist Notebook and learn to fold a booklet from a single sheet of paper.

Materials

1. Use the downloadable Naturalist Notebook printout or any paper

2. Pencil

3. Pen

4. Eraser

5. Any sort of leaves, cones, fruits, evergreen boughs you find outside your door