Session Description

This session introduces beginners to simple nature journaling techniques to observe and record the beauty of the garden and its pollinators. No drawing experience needed, just curiosity and a love of nature.

Step into the Bee Haven garden and let curiosity be your guide. This welcoming session invites you to slow down, look closely, and capture what you discover through sketches, notes, and personal observations. As you wander among pollinators and plants, you’ll learn approachable journaling techniques that help you see more deeply.

There’s no pressure to create “good art.” Nature journaling is about presence and noticing, not perfection. You’ll leave with your own journal pages filled with the sights, textures, and small wonders of Bee Haven—and a new way of seeing the world just outside your door.

The Instructor

Lorie Topinka — Naturalist, Watercolorist, & Science Educator

Lorie’s love of nature journaling grew out of her years at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, where curiosity and careful observation were part of everyday life. It was there she first picked up a sketchbook in the field, and never stopped. She later taught Sketching for the Science Classroom and Nature Journaling, sharing the practice with educators and curious minds alike. Today, Lorie focuses on watercolor painting. Her latest work, Chickens of the 5th Street Community Garden and the Rat Wars—“a children’s book for adults”—blends whimsical illustrations with warmhearted storytelling. It offers a glimpse into how she sees and interprets the natural world.

Registration

Price: $25
Reserve your spot by emailing [email protected]