Art Class: Nature Journaling & basics of making botanical Inks

Pause and see the natural world more closely through nature journaling and botanical inks. In this gentle, hands-on class, you’ll learn the basics of making ink from flowers and use these plant-based pigments to start a nature journal. You’ll also learn how considerations like paper and additives can give you different and exciting colors. All materials are included and each participant will take home a small sketchbook that we make in class and a 15ml pot of handmade floral ink—an invitation to notice new growth, returning light, and the unfolding of spring.

The class will cover the following:1. general information about the plant materials we are using2. the basics of making ink, including how to shift colors by changing the ph3. ethical harvesting of plants for ink making4. starting an ink journal5. how to prolong the life of the ink6. how to be okay with our inks fading over time7. other easily accessible plant materials

This class will take place at Swoon City. Our address is 1716 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107. It's at the intersection of 17th and NW Market Street - kitty corner from Mighty-O Donuts.

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before class begins.

If you cannot attend class for any reason, we will offer an exchange to another class currently on our schedule up to 48 hours before the class. After that time, no refunds or exchanges are issued out of respect for our teachers who purchase and prepare supplies based on the number of attendees.

Our current masking protocol is that anyone attending an event can email us at [email protected] to let us know they prefer that people wear masks up to 72 hours before the event begins. Your request is anonymous to all the other participants.

Attendees will receive an email before the class to let them know If we will be requiring masks.

About the Instructor

I’m a first generation immigrant from the Philippines currently living on occupied lands of the Duwamish Tribe and Coast Salish people, also called Seattle. I identify as Filipino-American and I use she/her pronouns.

I love being close to nature and creating art.

As a child growing up on the island of Oahu, I often came home (my mom says) from trips to the beach or woods with my pockets bulging with rocks, sticks, shells, and other natural items. I learned how to find edible fruits in the woods and edible seaweeds on the beach. My father grew both an edible and ornamental garden as I do today. As an elementary school teacher, I conducted classes in the school garden, took my students on walks in the woods and on the beach, taught them to keep a nature journal, and painted along-side my students during art class. As a now 20+ resident of the Pacific Northwest, I spend much of my time on our beaches and in the woods. I nature journal in the field and bring my experiences home as inspiration into my art.

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