Garden Journaling Workshop: The Art and Science of Gardening

Garden Journaling Workshop: The Art and Science of Gardening

Garden journaling is important because it helps gardeners observe and understand their outdoor spaces more deeply. By recording plant growth, weather patterns, planting dates, and gardening successes or challenges, gardeners can make more informed decisions, improve their techniques, and track progress over time. It also fosters mindfulness and a greater appreciation for the natural cycles of the garden. Additionally, garden journals serve as a valuable resource for planning future seasons, recreating successful arrangements, and connecting emotionally with the gardening experience. Overall, it enhances both the science and art of gardening, making it more intentional and rewarding.

Join us for an engaging hands-on workshop where creativity meets observation in the world of gardening. In these interactive sessions, you’ll learn how to create a personalized garden journal that captures both the artistic essence and scientific details of your outdoor space. Through guided exercises, you’ll practice documenting observations, planting schedules, plant growth, and seasonal changes. Collaborate with fellow gardeners to share ideas, inspiration, and tips for making journaling a meaningful part of your gardening routine. Whether you’re new to gardening or a seasoned green thumb, this workshop will inspire you to observe more closely, think more deeply, and cultivate your garden with renewed insight and joy.

In this unique combination of book club, art lesson, and nature journaling, we will explore the natural world around us on the Cape through a 4-week session utilizing three books:

  • Vegetable Gardening Made Easy: Simple Tips & Tricks to Grow Your Best Garden Ever, Resh Gala
  • Garden: Watercolor Workbook, Emily Lex Studio
  • The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Journal: Where Ideas Bloom, Yankee Publishing Inc.

Each session is designed to focus on a different parts of each book.

We will begin with a guided discussion about the importance of garden journaling, including its role in scientific observation and artistic expression. Participants will learn techniques for effectively observing and recording their surroundings, noting not just what they see but also what they hear, smell, and feel.

Books and supplies for each session are available at the Brewster Book Store.

Register Here

Dates, Times, Locations

Supply List

Books

Dates and Times: 4 weeks – Wednesdays June 4, 11, 18, 25 (10 am to 12 pm)

 

Length: 4-week session – single(s) or full session options

 

Registration Fee: $20 per session, $70 season pass

 

Location: Brewster Book Store, 2648 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631

Sessions:

Session 1: Getting Started with Your Garden Journal and Basic Watercolor Skills

Learn the essential tools and techniques to create a personalized garden journal. In this hands-on session, you’ll choose your journal, explore different formats (paper, digital, or hybrid), and develop a basic layout. Discover how to set meaningful goals for your journaling practice and start with simple entries that capture your garden’s initial conditions and intentions. Supplies: pen, pencil, plain paper journal or notebook, ruler and The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Journal: Where Ideas Bloom.

Session 2: Observing and Recording Nature’s Details

Deepen your ability to observe your garden’s intricate details. This session guides you through techniques for documenting plant growth, favorite moments, weather patterns, and pest or disease signs. Practice sketching, noting colors, scents, and textures, and learn how to capture seasonal changes to enrich your garden records. We will also learn the essential techniques for using watercolors in your journaling.  Supplies: basic watercolor paints including black and brown, paintbrushes (Round No 2 and 6), 2 small jars of water, paper towels, mixing palette, blank watercolor paper journal of your choosing and Garden: Watercolor Workbook.

Session 3: Using Your Journal to Plan and Problem-Solve

Transform your journal into a practical planning tool. In this interactive class, you’ll learn how to track planting dates, crop rotations, and garden layouts. Explore ways to analyze past entries to troubleshoot issues, experiment with new planting ideas, and set future goals for your garden’s growth and sustainability. Supplies: soft pencils (HB, H, or #2), pencil sharpener, technical drawing pen, small ruler, your gardening journal and Vegetable Gardening Made Easy: Simple Tips & Tricks to Grow Your Best Garden Ever.

Session 4: Inspiring Creativity and Reflection in Your Garden Journal

Discover how to infuse your garden journal with artistic expression and personal stories. This creative session encourages free writing, poetry, doodling, and photography to deepen your connection to your garden. Reflect on your gardening journey, celebrate successes, and find inspiration to nurture your outdoor space with enthusiasm and mindfulness. Supplies: basic watercolor paints including black and brown, paintbrushes (Round No 2 and 6), 2 small jars of water, paper towels, mixing palette, soft pencils (HB, H, or #2), pencil sharpener, technical drawing pen, small ruler, your gardening journal and all three required books.

(Feel free to use/reuse what you already have or purchase from the Bookstore)

  1. Basic watercolor paints including black and brown

  2. Paintbrushes (Round No 2 and 6)

  3. 2 Jars of water

  4. Paper towels

  5. Mixing palette

  6. A blank watercolor paper journal of your choosing (The bookstore has some nice options)

  7. Backpack or shoulder bag

  8. Soft pencil (HB, H, or #2)

  9. Pencil sharpener

  10. Technical drawing pen

  11. Small ruler

 

  • Vegetable Gardening Made Easy: Simple Tips & Tricks to Grow Your Best Garden Ever, Resh Gala

  • Garden: Watercolor Workbook, Emily Lex Studio

  • The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Journal: Where Ideas Bloom, Yankee Publishing Inc.

Try to get copies before the first class.

About Mark

Mark Kesling is a pioneering educator, designer, and professional photographer with a rich and diverse background in the arts and sciences. Beginning his photographic journey in the 1970s as a wedding and studio photographer, Mark has evolved his practice to focus on the dynamic intersection of art and science. His innovative approach utilizes scientific principles to enhance the artistic skills of photographers, making the learning experience both engaging and impactful.

With over 45 years of extensive work in museum design and education, Mark has established himself as a leader in the field. As the founder and CEO of the daVinci Pursuit, he drives initiatives that embody the concept of a “museum without walls,” fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for learning and exploration. His unique skill set enables him to blend artistic creativity with scientific inquiry, captivating learners of all ages.

Mark collaborates with a diverse range of partners, including neighborhood organizations, city institutions, and educational entities, to create meaningful art and science installations in communities. Through his work, he inspires and enriches the lives of those he engages, making a lasting impact on the cultural landscape.

 

Vertebrate Pollinators: Birds and Mammals with Robin Carlson Part 2

Vertebrate Pollinators: Birds and Mammals with Robin Carlson Part 2

About Robin

Robin Lee Carlson is a natural science illustrator and the author of The Cold Canyon Fire Journals. She builds careful observations of the natural world into deeper commentary on ecology and climate change, and her work centers on field sketching ecoreportage, living documentation of the ever-accelerating transformation of ecosystems by human activity. Her work has also appeared in The Common, the literary journal of Amherst College, and in Arnoldia, the magazine of the Harvard University Arboretum. She teaches online and in-person workshops that combine drawing, painting, and natural history.

Robin is one of the 2024 recipients of the Fireline Fellowship, part of the Long-Term Ecological Reflections Program in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon.

https://robinleecarlson.com/
https://www.instagram.com/anthropocenesketchbook/

Verebrate Pollinators

A Field Journal Sketching Experience with Robin Carlson

Part 1: Birds and Mammals – Monday, July 28, 2025 – 7 to 8:30pm (Eastern)

Location: Online via Zoom

Cost: $30 per session

Register

The daVinci Pursuit is pleased to welcome illustrator and author Robin Carlson to our third series of online workshops. In this series of two workshops, we will combine drawing, painting, and natural science. The classes will weave scientific knowledge into accessible and engaging instruction, where students actively create stories in their own artwork. 

Vertebrate Pollinators: Birds and Mammals

Robin Lee Carlson

 

In this workshop we will explore non-insect pollinators, with an overview of different species and how their interactions with flowers are different from insects’. We’ll talk about how flowers appeal to the senses of vertebrate pollinators, and strategies that the animals use to locate and make use of floral resources.

 

We will draw a Costa’s hummingbird and a lesser long-nosed bat, along with some of the flowers they visit. We’ll work in ink, watercolor, and colored pencil. At the end of each session, there will be time to ask questions and share your work and insights.

 

Registrants will be able to attend live online and will also have access to a recording of the workshop.

Made possible through the generous support of the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitiable Foundation

Ancient Pollinators: Beetles and Flies with Robin Carlson Part 1

Ancient Pollinators: Beetles and Flies with Robin Carlson Part 1

About Robin

Robin Lee Carlson is a natural science illustrator and the author of The Cold Canyon Fire Journals. She builds careful observations of the natural world into deeper commentary on ecology and climate change, and her work centers on field sketching ecoreportage, living documentation of the ever-accelerating transformation of ecosystems by human activity. Her work has also appeared in The Common, the literary journal of Amherst College, and in Arnoldia, the magazine of the Harvard University Arboretum. She teaches online and in-person workshops that combine drawing, painting, and natural history.

Robin is one of the 2024 recipients of the Fireline Fellowship, part of the Long-Term Ecological Reflections Program in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon.

https://robinleecarlson.com/
https://www.instagram.com/anthropocenesketchbook/

Ancient Pollinators

A Field Journal Sketching Experience with Robin Carlson

Part 1: Beetles and Flies – Monday, June 30, 2025 – 7 to 8:30pm (Eastern)

Location: Online via Zoom

Cost: $30 per session

Register

The daVinci Pursuit is pleased to welcome illustrator and author Robin Carlson to our third series of online workshops. In this series of two workshops, we will combine drawing, painting, and natural science. The classes will weave scientific knowledge into accessible and engaging instruction, where students actively create stories in their own artwork. 

Ancient Pollinators: Beetles and Flies

Robin Lee Carlson

Bees have developed a particularly close relationship with flowers, but they were not the first pollinators. Often less showy than bees, but no less fascinating, the earliest pollinators were beetles and flies.

 

In this workshop, we will start with an overview of ancient pollinators, and then focus on one beetle and one fly pollinator, to explore how flowers attract these insects and how pollinators and flowers interact. We’ll draw western skunk cabbage and its rove beetle pollinators, and California pipevine with its tiny gnat pollinators. We will work in ink, watercolor, and colored pencil. At the end of each session, there will be time to ask questions and share your work and insights.

 

Registrants will be able to attend live online and will also have access to a recording of the workshop.

Made possible through the generous support of the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitiable Foundation

The Art of Seeing: Light and Color

The Art of Seeing: Light and Color

The Art of Seeing: Light and Color with Mark Kesling

Santa Fe Workshops

June 10- June 20, 2025 Tuesdays and Fridays; 2:30 – 4:30 EDT

“Color is a pigment of our imagination,” Mark Rea famously said, highlighting how colors only come to life through our perception. In this new online workshop with Mark Kesling, photographers of all skill levels explore the interconnected roles of light and color in photography. We examine the science of light, understanding the electromagnetic spectrum and how different types of light (from infrared to visible) impact exposure, mood, and composition. At the same time, we investigate how light influences color perception, focusing on how light interacts with various surfaces and materials to shape the way color is captured in a photograph.

Throughout our group sessions, we engage in hands-on exercises that experiment with both lighting techniques and color theory. We learn how natural and artificial light affect color and how to manipulate both to create dynamic and compelling images. We also explore how color influences mood and composition, uncovering the emotional power of colors and how to use them intentionally in their work. From working with different types of light to experimenting with color grading and filters, you refine an understanding of both lighting and color, gaining new skills to elevate

Register Here

About Mark

Mark Kesling is a pioneering artist and science educator with over 30 years of experience in museum education, exhibit design, and science education. He has designed and managed major exhibits for institutions such as The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, The Carnegie Museum, and The Exploratorium. Currently, Mark serves as Founder and CEO of the daVinci Pursuit, a concept he conceived in 2009—a “science museum without walls” that brings educational exhibits to neighborhoods using outdoor spaces as galleries. Mark combines art and science to create engaging installations that serve communities in underserved areas of Massachusetts and Indiana.

Nature Journaling Workshop: Connecting Art and Science Through Observation

Nature Journaling Workshop: Connecting Art and Science Through Observation

Join us for an enriching Nature Journaling Workshop designed to help participants explore and engage with the natural world through the combined practices of art and science. This workshop invites you to develop a deeper connection to your environment by cultivating observational skills, creativity, and curiosity.

In this unique combination of book club, art lesson, and nature journaling, we will explore the natural world around us on the Cape through a 5-week session utilizing the book Keeping a Nature Journal: Deepen Your Connection with the Natural World All Around You by Clare Walker Leslie. Each session is designed to focus on a different part of Clare’s book.

We will begin with a guided discussion about the importance of nature journaling, including its role in scientific observation and artistic expression. Participants will learn techniques for effectively observing and recording their surroundings, noting not just what they see but also what they hear, smell, and feel.

Keeping a Nature Journal and supplies for each session are listed in Eventbrite.

Register Here

Dates, Times, Locations

Supply List

Book

Wednesdays: April 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, 2025

10 – 11:30am EDT

Brewster Book Store, 2648 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631

(Feel free to use/reuse what you already have or purchase from the Bookstore)

  1. Backpack or shoulder bag

  2. Journal with watercolor paper (cold press)

  3. Soft pencil (HB, H, or #2)

  4. Pencil sharpener

  5. Technical drawing pen

  6. Refillable brush pen

  7. Technical drawing pencil

  8. Binder clips

  9. Small ruler

  10. Colored pencils

  11. Watercolor pencils

  12. Watercolor set (pans or tubes)

  13. Small mixing palette

  14. Small sponge

  15. Small rag

  16. Small water bottle

  17. Small water spray bottle

  18. Small syringe (no needle)

  19. White gel pen

 

Keeping a Nature Journal: Deepen Your Connection with the Natural World All Around You by Clare Walker Leslie. 3rd Edition, Available at Brewster Book Store. 

Try to get a copy before the first class and read chapter one.

About Mark

Mark Kesling is a pioneering educator, designer, and professional photographer with a rich and diverse background in the arts and sciences. Beginning his photographic journey in the 1970s as a wedding and studio photographer, Mark has evolved his practice to focus on the dynamic intersection of art and science. His innovative approach utilizes scientific principles to enhance the artistic skills of photographers, making the learning experience both engaging and impactful.

With over 45 years of extensive work in museum design and education, Mark has established himself as a leader in the field. As the founder and CEO of the daVinci Pursuit, he drives initiatives that embody the concept of a “museum without walls,” fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for learning and exploration. His unique skill set enables him to blend artistic creativity with scientific inquiry, captivating learners of all ages.

Mark collaborates with a diverse range of partners, including neighborhood organizations, city institutions, and educational entities, to create meaningful art and science installations in communities. Through his work, he inspires and enriches the lives of those he engages, making a lasting impact on the cultural landscape.

 

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