Cold Prairie Studio

Hello friends. Today I want to share a project that’s been dear to my heart and has recently gone out into the world.

This is a free nature journaling guide. No strings attached, no need to sign up for anything. Nature benefits us all, and we just want to share it with as many people as we can.

From my home page:

I’m so excited to announce that this collaboration with One School One Farm, teacher Merrissa Karmark, and myself is now available for free download. You’ll find 48 pages of colourful photos, illustrations and creative ideas to fill your nature sketchbook, even through the coldest months of a Saskatchewan winter! This guide is not just for teachers – it’s for anyone with an interest in art, nature, science, and in forging a deeper connection to the local landscape. Check it out here.

Back in January, I was approached by One School One Farm to collaborate on a unit plan for nature journaling in Saskatchewan. This was to be made available for free, as a resource for teachers, home-educators…everyone & anyone who wanted to download it. My co-creator, a rural Saskatchewan school teacher and outdoor enthusiast, Merrissa Karmark, was as excited about the project as I was, so naturally it ballooned from there. What began as an outline for a 10-lesson unit plan (one for each month of the academic year) became a 48-page full-colour booklet of activities, journaling & sketching strategies, ideas, and sample pages for filling a nature sketchbook in cold climate conditions and anywhere you happen to find yourself.

Merrissa had the brilliant idea to format it as large 11″ x 17″, field-friendly, folding, printable cards. Each 4-page card is season-specific, can be printed and laminated for weather-proofing, and carried along for outdoor lessons or inspiration. There’s also a standard single-page PDF version available. Find both here.

This unit plan comes with an introduction and materials section, a DIY sketchbook tutorial (see my last blog post), supplemental resources list and curriculum guide. We’d love for you to share it with your family, friends, community…and let us know what you think!

I’ll be back real soon with news about our local Members Show & Sale (see my Home page for details), how a thrift store find got me thinking about the lifespan of one’s artwork, and other meanderings.

-Leane