Drawing into Nature: Color and Form in Nature

A 9-session Course with Artist Ella LaPointe at The Nature Institute

Tuesdays, September 12 – November 14, 4:30 – 6 pm (no class on Halloween)

In our world of ever-shortening attention spans, drawing can be a vehicle to look more slowly and carefully. It can help us carefully observe natural phenomena as they actually appear. Through this activity, we can grow capacities for attention, slowing down, and centralizing our experience of the natural world.

In this class, we will attend to form and color qualities in wood, stone, autumn leaves, bones, and shells. If conditions allow for observing clouds, water, and weather, we will dedicate some sessions to those. The challenge of drawing “from nature” that we will explore is to find a path between two common tendencies: to perceive phenomena as hardened or static forms or, on the other hand, to distill concrete experience into abstraction. Drawing into nature we will seek to widen the space where we can find a dynamic quality of encounter.

Materials may include wax crayons, graphite, colored pencils, watercolor, and gouache.

Sliding scale fee: $150 – $400. (No one will be excluded due to inability to pay.) Some materials are provided. Space is limited. To register for the course, please call the institute office (518-672-0116) or email us by September 5. Full payment is due on the first evening (check payable to The Nature Institute or cash).