Journaling With Nature

Mary Jo Hoffman is an artist and photographer known for her twelve-year project, STILL, where she shares daily nature photographs. In this conversation, she reflects on her childhood adventures in nature and how they inspire her creative work. She shares the balance between motherhood and creativity, discussing the joy of 'creative noticing.' Mary Jo introduces the idea of '72 Micro Seasons' to deepen our connection with nature. Her journey from aerospace engineering to photography highlights the interplay of math and art, showcasing the beauty in everyday life.

Bringing play into our nature journaling practice is an invitation to lean towards joy and freedom and away from perfectionism and self-criticism. Start your journaling sessions with play – embrace all of your silly, wonky, imperfect, life-filled lines and have fun!Over on the Journaling With Nature YouTube channel I have a playlist where you can follow along with different exercises to loosen up and play:Creative Play for Nature Journalers-----------------Sign-up for Journaling With Nature's Newsletter to receive news and updates.You can support Journaling With Nature Podcast on Patreon. Your contribution is deeply appreciated.Thanks for listening! 

Listen to hear more about:How Kaddi came to nature journaling.Kaddi’s ideal day in nature.How nature was a solace for Kaddi during a challenging time.The growing nature journaling community in Germany and other German speaking regions in Europe.The regular in-person and online nature journaling gatherings that are happening in Germany.The importance of giving supportive feedback.Starting a nature journal club in your area.Travelling nature journals.Nature journaling as meditation.Kaddi’s hopes and plans for nature journaling in the future.Follow Kaddi on Instagram @kaddikaracho and on YouTube @NatureJournalette.Some of the groups and workshops mentioned can be found here:https://wildniswind.de/Nature Journaling Deutschland websiteNature Journaling Deutschland group on FacebookGerman nature journal clubs mapWeekly online sessions of Nature Journaling and Tea and Nature Journaling and Coffee can be found on the website of Verena Hillgärtner: Wieder Wilder Werden.Wild Wonder Educators WorkshopWildniswind-----------------Sign-up for Journaling With Nature's Newsletter to receive news and updates each month.You can support Journaling With Nature Podcast on Patreon. Your contribution is deeply appreciated.Thanks for listening!

Today’s prompt comes from a challenge created by last week’s guest, Sofia Gazarian. Sofia’s idea was to draw or paint the same bird each month for a year. Through this process you will be able to watch your own progress as you develop your skills of drawing birds. You can control the variables by using the same time limit for your sketch, as well as using the same reference photo, materials and paper size. Give it a go if it sounds like a fun challenge to you!To find inspiration from Sofia’s One Year Bird page, visit her Instagram @printyourbird. If you post your own page on Instagram, use the hashtag #oneyearbird so Sofia can see your birds!Find royalty free bird photos:Unsplash - https://unsplash.com/Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/-----------------Sign-up for Journaling With Nature's Newsletter to receive news and updates. You can support Journaling With Nature Podcast on Patreon. Your contribution is deeply appreciated.Thanks for listening!

Sofia has a passion for birdwatching. While cultivating a daily sketching habit, Sofia has learned that you can find birds and make amazing discoveries even in the heart of a big city.Listen to hear more about:Making personal discoveries in nature. How Sofia went from selling vintage bird art to drawing and painting her own birds. The bird illustrators that inspire Sofia.How a birding challenge helped Sofia make many discoveries her local parks.Using a monocular for capturing bird photos on your phone.Tips for beginner birdwatchers.Keeping a bird journal.Drawing the same bird each month to track your artistic progress.The calming effect of drawing birds.Illustrators who have inspired Sofia’s drawing:John James AudubonGeorge EdwardsJohn and Elizabeth GouldOhara KosonDavid SibleyJohn Muir LawsDanny Gregory Felix ScheinbergerApps that Sofia uses while birdwatching:Merlin Bird IDBirdNETeBirdTo follow along with Sofia’s bird drawing journey find her on Instagram @printyourbird.-----------------Sign-up for Journaling With Nature's Newsletter to receive news and updates each month. You can support Journaling With Nature Podcast on Patreon. Your contribution is deeply appreciated.Thanks for listening!

Today we are exploring the corners of our environment, the neglected places that we do not normally visit. There are nature stories here too. Take some time to nature journal the things that you notice in a place that might have been overlooked for a while.While I was playing with my son in the garden, I came across a corner that we never usually visit. It made me think that there are neglected parts of our environment that also have stories to tell. This week I will be nature journaling in a corner of my space, and I invite you to do the same. If you do not have a garden, seek out a corner of your local park, or even a corner of your home. What do you find there? What nature stories are playing out in these neglected spaces?I would love to see what you find in your local environment. Leave a comment below this post on the Journaling With Nature website. I plan to create more videos over on YouTube. If you are interested to see these prompts as videos, head over there and subscribe to stay in touch. -----------------Sign-up for Journaling With Nature's Newsletter to receive news and updates.You can support Journaling With Nature Podcast on Patreon. Your contribution is deeply appreciated.Thanks for listening!

Jarod K. Anderson, a poet and author deeply connected to nature, shares his journey of discovering beauty in everyday life. He reflects on childhood walks in nature and the transformative power of poetry, highlighting how it connects us to our human experiences. The conversation explores the balance between self-care and engagement with social issues, where nature serves as a balm for depression. Jarod emphasizes the joy of creativity and the importance of whimsy, reminding us to cherish life's wonders and embrace the magic hiding in plain sight.

International Nature Journaling Week is coming up again soon (1-7th June) and in this episode I chat about all the ways that you can get involved during the week.Our overarching theme this year is ‘Celebrating the Cycles of Life’ and our daily themes will explore the biological processes that organisms might go through in their lifecycles. The daily themes are:Germination and emergenceGrowth and developmentMetamorphosis and transformationReproduction and replicationFruiting and dispersalDecay and decompositionRenewal and regenerationThe website for International Nature Journaling Week is: www.naturejournalingweek.com. The best way to stay in touch with what’s coming up during the week is to subscribe to the newsletter.You can connect with others from all around the world on the INJW Facebook page. If you would like to see my daily pages during the week and participate in giveaways, follow @journalingwithnature on Instagram.If you would like to share a short video of yourself talking about one of the prompts, email me at bethan@journalingwithnature.com and I will share how you can do this. If you are interested to see Susanne Swing Thompson’s new book A Closer Look: The Neighborhood, visit her website here. We look forward to sharing with you during International Nature Journaling Week 2024!-----------------Sign-up for Journaling With Nature's Newsletter to receive news and updates. You can support Journaling With Nature Podcast on Patreon. Your contribution is deeply appreciated. Thanks for listening!

Suzy Sharpe is a British painter and printmaker who examines the bond between humans and nature through her art. In this engaging conversation, she shares her journey balancing family life with studying fine art. Suzy discusses her love for Cornwall’s wildlife, the emotional impact of nature on our identities, and how children's perspectives can reignite our sense of awe. She explains the beauty of botanical monoprinting and reflects on the role of storytelling in fostering environmental awareness.

Free writing is a technique where we write continuously for a period of time, without censorship or judgment. It can help us connect with our natural surroundings as well as our inner landscape, and can bring clarity, insight and a sense of calm.-----------------Sign-up for Journaling With Nature's Newsletter to receive news and updates. You can support Journaling With Nature Podcast on Patreon. Your contribution is deeply appreciated.Thanks for listening!