Art that’s outside the box
The Yakona Nature Preserve and Learning Center will become an outdoor classroom this summer as the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts presents a series of free workshops combining creativity with the natural world.
Held throughout August and September, the four classes invite participants to paint, print and explore while drawing inspiration from Yakona's forests, wetlands and wildlife. Supported through grants and community partnerships, the workshops are free, though advance registration is required because space is limited.
The series begins Thursday, Aug. 20, with an introductory plein air oil painting workshop led by Khara Ledonne. Participants will create small outdoor studies before completing a finished landscape painting, learning basic oil techniques while working directly in nature.
On Tuesday, Aug. 25, instructor Jill Marks introduces the art of gel plate printing. Using acrylic paint, synthetic printing plates and botanical materials gathered from the landscape, students will create layered one-of-a-kind prints. Participants are also welcome to bring clippings from their own gardens to incorporate into their work.
The workshops continue Tuesday, Sept. 8, with botanical block printing led by Cheryl Horton. Inspired by Yakona's native plants and wildlife, students will sketch, carve and print their own reusable relief block before taking home finished prints and carving materials.
The series concludes Tuesday, Sept. 22, with a forest therapy session led by certified guide Jaime Lee Hart. Based on the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, the experience encourages participants to slow down, engage their senses and connect more deeply with the surrounding forest through guided mindfulness activities.
Located in South Beach, Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center is dedicated to restoring native coastal forest while serving as a living laboratory for environmental education, cultural history and stewardship. The preserve's natural setting offers an opportunity to experience art-making in the landscape that inspires it.
Because the workshops take place outdoors in a protected natural area, participants should bring their own water, lunch or snacks and pack out anything they bring in. Comfortable walking shoes, layered clothing and fragrance-free attendance are encouraged.
All workshops begin at 11 am at Yakona Nature Preserve & Learning Center in South Beach. For more information or to register, go to coastarts.org/yakona.