NatureArt Lab Blue Mountains

Had a lovely time today with Genelle Nell Smith Studio and Wollemi Watercolours nature journaling in Wentworth Falls! We drew this beautiful burnt banksia with fungus on it. Such beautiful rock formations and carvings there, and even some tadpoles!

So lovely to attend the opening of the Blue Mountains Art Prize last night! A wonderful turnout of people and a massive congratulations to all the artists who submitted such gorgeous works!

The exhibition is open until 4pm Sunday at Blue Mountains Creative Arts Centre Inc. on Hare St in Glenbrook

A perfect day for a cyanotyping! Thanks so much to the lovely people that came today to my first cyanotype workshop. We covered basic cyanotypes, wet cyanotypes and bleaching/toning cyanotypes with some absolutely stunning results. 😍 Ellen even brought some silk for us all to experiment with!

The Fourth Annual Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference is coming up on September 14-18!

This is a five day online event with classes, challenges, social activities, panels and even an auction!

Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference A rich schedule of 30 classes, panels, lectures, nature journaling challenges, social time, journal sharing, and an online auction.

Looking forward to this exhibition! Entries are still open if you are still thinking about submitting something 🙂

Loving those springtime vibes, and can't wait to see more butterflies out and about! Did you know that 30 butterfly species are associated with wattles?

FIRST DAY OF SPRING is NATIONAL WATTLE DAY

As well as being Australia's national floral emblem, Wattle plays host to 30 species of native Australian butterfly!

There are 12 species of 'Hairstreak' butterfly that depend on Wattle for their survival. Many of these are highly-localised – as they only use a few or even a single species of Wattle! (Several species of Hairstreak butterfly are now classified as 'vulnerable' and 3 are classified as 'threatened'). In addition, 5 species of 'Jewel', 8 other species of 'Blue', 4 species of 'Grass-Yellow' and the majestic 'Tailed Emperor' also use Wattle.

Pictured (Most widespread): 1 'Twin-Spotted Line-Blue', 2 'Wattle Blue', 3 'Imperial Hairstreak', 4 'Moonlight Jewel', 5 'Tailed Emperor', 6 'Large Grass-Yellow', 7 'Amethyst Hairstreak'.

Here is a link to 'National Wattle Day' and a list of Wattles suitable for gardens and back yards: http://www.wattleday.asn.au/about-wattles/wattles-for-the-garden-and-back-yard

Excited for our Cyanotype class in a little over a week! This is such an easy and fun method, and with such beautiful results 💙

Book tickets here:
https://natureartlab.com.au/collections/blue-mountains-new-south-wales/products/introduction-to-cyanotype-photography-and-printing

Our first Nature Journaling Walk was a great success! We walked through the beautiful rainforest of Fairy Dell, and stopped at a waterfall to sketch and paint a Satin Bowerbird's bower, tiny moss and lichen, and sassafras leaves, and to try out Erin's magnifier 🌿

Thanks to everyone that came along, and we'll see you next month!