Are you someone with a passion for nature and creativity?
Looking to learn a few artistic techniques and/or how to identify species?
Want to slow down and settle into a deeper state of observation in nature?
How about an weekend away nature journaling a rural site in Devon, UK, together with a supportive group? Tuition by nature journaling educator and artist Alex Boon with mindful movement sessions with a yoga instructor on Saturday and Sunday mornings to start the day.
Our location is the beautiful School of Art & Wellbeing, with an old cricket pavilion converted into a large, bright art studio, forest garden, walled vegetable garden, wildflower meadow, yurts, and polytunnel creative space. Accomodation is available onsite (to be booked separately by emailing [email protected]).
This is a mixed-ability group, designed to be different every year, allowing past retreatants to come along and always experience something new! This year we have a special treat – an evening sketching trip on the tram at Seaton Tramway! We will have our own private tram, which will take us out to excellent sketching locations around Seaton Wetlands National Nature Reserve! Don’t miss out on this very special opportunity, included in the price of this retreat.
DRAFT SCHEDULE
FRIDAY 26TH JUNE: ARRIVAL AND INTRODUCTION
Arrival from 5 PM. Transport from Honiton station (1 mile from the school) can be provided. When you sign up for this retreat, you will be added to a retreatant-only section of my mailing list to receive information closer to the time, including info on transport logistics.
An evening meal of homegrown salad, delicious soup, and a cheese board will be provided for this first night (included in the retreat price).
Get to know each other over a meal followed by an introduction session, a tour of the grounds, and time to settle in and relax.
SATURDAY 27TH JUNE: NATURE JOURNALING BIRDS
Morning yoga and mindfulness after breakfast – intended to help us to shift from our active, rational, thinking brains to our creative, inspired and open minds.
Saturday morning: Understanding bird anatomy. This class will reveal how birds are “put together”, to better understand how to draw them. Lots of fun sketching exercises included!
Saturday afternoon: Confidence building. We will begin with sketching from photos, graduate to video, and then finally we will draw live birds around the site. Some tuition on achieving quick and attractive mixed media sketches will be provided.
Saturday evening: Our special treat – a bespoke, private tram ride at Seaton Tramway to practice a bit more bird sketching and enjoy the ambience of the beautiful Axe Valley. I shall also book us a table at Le Pisani, an Italian resturant nearby. Note that the tram is included in the retreat price but the meal is not, we will each need to pay our bills separately. Attendance to the meal is optional, transport will be provided for anybody preferring to return to SAW.
SUNDAY 28TH JUNE: NATURE JOURNALING BOTANICALS
Morning yoga and mindfulness after breakfast.
Sunday morning: Identifying plants. Tuition will be provided on identifying common wildflowers and how to nature journal plants to come to a positive ID. This will include understanding of different plant families, how plants reproduce, and the use of technology and keys to help us identify.
Sunday afternoon: Plants in coloured pencil. Using plant samples, we will focus on effective botanical sketches in graphite or ink and coloured pencil.
MONDAY 29TH JUNE: NATURE JOURNALING BIRDS AND BOTANICALS AT SEATON WETLANDS
For those who choose to stay with us until Monday, we will return to Seaton Wetlands, this time on foot, to try out some of the sketching techniques learnt over the weekend. This will include a visit to the sand martin wall, sketching at the bird hides, wildflower sketching, and, hopefully, a guided walk around the reserve. This special day is included in the retreat price for anyone who would like to come. Transport to and from the School of Art & Wellbeing will be provided for any who need it, although parking is free at Seaton Wetlands, so you might prefer to bring your own car and head off from there. Bring a packed lunch for this event (Tesco supermarkets are local to Honiton and Seaton, and lifts will be provided to anybody who needs it on the day).
More details and booking: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/alexboonart/1909643