The Practice of Noticing: Developing a Field Guide & Nature Journal
Dates: September 24-27, 2026
Leader: Kay Betts

In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore the nature journal as a deeply personal tool for observation, reflection, and connection to the natural world. Blending time in the field with studio practice, the workshop invites students to develop a journal that serves as both a record of experience and a unique creative expression.

Through guided exercises and demonstrations, participants will learn a range of traditional observational and artistic techniques, including drawing, note-taking, mapping, and descriptive writing. Emphasis will be placed on slowing down, noticing detail, and translating what is seen, felt, and understood into a visual and written record. At the same time, participants will incorporate contemporary tools such as smartphone photography and apps to expand how information is gathered and documented.

Participants will experiment with a variety of approaches to building their journals, including charts and lists, hand-drawn graphs and maps, and layered entries that combine text and image. Observations may include plant life, weather patterns, topography, and other elements of the surrounding environment, encouraging both scientific curiosity and creative interpretation.

This workshop embraces flexibility and individuality-there is no single template or "right" way to keep a field journal. Open to all experience levels, it encourages curiosity, attentiveness, and a willingness to explore new ways of seeing and recording the world. By the end of the session, participants will have developed the foundations of a personalized journal practice and new strategies for engaging more deeply with their environment.

Workshop Spot includes three night Dogtrot accommodations, all meals, and workshop fee (Thursday Dinner through Sunday Brunch). This is for one participant.