LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE KALAMAZOO NATURE CENTER
Mary Whalen / KNC Members Room, Visitor Center / KIA Computer Lab
Sat 7/13–7/27
9-11am / 3 weeks
$145 / Members: $125
Join us for a photography class open to all experience levels! Learn to capture the beautiful landscapes, natural light, and ephemeral experiences of the Nature Center utilizing the camera of your choosing. During the first two sessions of this course, students will plan their adventures and explore scenic locations onsite. Examine options for both micro and macro compositions utilizing a range of techniques. Participants must be prepared to wear comfortable shoes and walk distances. Please plan to bring drinking water and your own camera, whether a DSLR or iPhone.
NATURE SKETCHING IN CLAY
Anna Ill / KNC Barn
Tue 7/9-7/16 5-8pm
5-8pm / Two Days
$120 / Members: $100
Wet clay invites impressions and the walking trails at the Kalamazoo Nature Center are full of inspiring imagery. Using drawing tools and found objects, we will create compositions from the Nature Center grounds on small ceramic tiles. Each student will have access to several tiles on which to create “clay sketches”. On day one, we will walk the trails, find inspiration, and make several clay sketches. Tiles will be fired and ready for completion with cold finishes on day two. This course will include traditional as well as non-traditional finishing techniques utilizing waxes, polishes, and acrylics. Dress appropriately for this outdoor class. No prior clay experience or special tools are required.
NATURAL CASTING
Amelia Falk / KNC Visitors Center Lower Classroom / KIA Jewelry Studio
Thu 6/13-7/25
1–3:30 pm / 7 weeks
$265 / Members: $245
By learning the lost wax method of casting, you can turn organic materials into beautiful bronze or silver jewelry findings and miniature sculptures. Discover the process on a walk through the woods while also searching for materials to prepare. Casting leaves, flowers, and twigs are just a few possibilities that you can use to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. This class will take place for the first two weeks at the Nature Center, then the remaining weeks will happen in the KIA in the jewelry studio.
BEFRIENDING DEATH: GRIEF IN NATURE
Brent Harris / KNC Visitors Center, Cooper’s Glen Auditorium
Wed 6/12-7/31
6:30-9pm / 8 weeks
$270 / Members: $250
We all have our personal and shared experiences of grief. Death of a loved one, climate anxiety, illness, and life transitions are just a few examples. Memorializing these events through ritual, community, and art making has been an important, but forgotten, part of human history. In this class, we will explore our understanding of life/death and its relationship to ourselves and the natural world. In a secluded wooded property, our class will engage in group discussions, nature walking meditations, writing reflections and create personal memorials of grief and loss using clay and natural materials.