Art + Botany SessionParrs Wood Environmental Centre
Séverine Cochard & Rae Story
Séverine and I bring together our skills in botany, plant identification, cycles of nature and socially engaged art practice. These walks and workshops are a way to engage people with local nature and the wider context of our interconnected ecosystems. We are urban explorers of the plant and nature kind! Bringing attention and awareness through close observation / drawing, to the plants that are often overlooked and passed by in the busy city.
Séverine and I are passionate advocates for nature and we are hands-on in the way we work to inspire and give people direct experience, promoting curiosity and a joy of nature. We want to demystify botany and art practice to make them available for all.
We use drawing as a tool of expression as well as note taking, recording, documenting, close looking, learning. It is important to us that we help people build confidence in this useful skill of visual note taking and help people overcome their blockages around doing ‘art’.
We share our skills and empower people to share their own knowledge and experience in a safe and friendly space. This is essentially art-based nature connection in the city. Nature connection leads to pro-conservation and pro-environmental behaviour changes as evidenced by Miles Richardson’s work at Derby University. We use the 5 Pathways to Nature Connection framework developed by Richardson and colleagues to structure our sessions and ensure people get the full extent of benefit from our sessions. We also provide follow up prompts and suggestions of ways people can continue working with nature creatively during each particular season.
Séverine and I are passionate advocates for nature and we are hands-on in the way we work to inspire and give people direct experience, promoting curiosity and a joy of nature. We want to demystify botany and art practice to make them available for all.
We use drawing as a tool of expression as well as note taking, recording, documenting, close looking, learning. It is important to us that we help people build confidence in this useful skill of visual note taking and help people overcome their blockages around doing ‘art’.
We share our skills and empower people to share their own knowledge and experience in a safe and friendly space. This is essentially art-based nature connection in the city. Nature connection leads to pro-conservation and pro-environmental behaviour changes as evidenced by Miles Richardson’s work at Derby University. We use the 5 Pathways to Nature Connection framework developed by Richardson and colleagues to structure our sessions and ensure people get the full extent of benefit from our sessions. We also provide follow up prompts and suggestions of ways people can continue working with nature creatively during each particular season.
