BY KAREN BOSSICK

Learn how to better observe the intricacies of nature during a free nature journaling workshop this afternoon.

Poo Wright-Pulliam and Kimberly Traue will lead the workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. today—Sunday, April 6—at Hailey Town Center West behind the Hailey Public Library.

The workshop is hosted by the Wood River Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society.

It will provide a hands-on approach to collecting and organizing one’s observations, questions, connections and explanations on the pages of a notebook using words, pictures and numbers.

One need not be an artist or naturalist—the skills can be learned by anyone.

Participants should bring a pen and paper, or even colored pencils, for hands-on exercises.

The two artists co-founded the Wood River Nature Journaling club, which meets monthly to draw at various sites around the valley, in November 2022.

Wright-Pulliam has been observing and drawing the wildflowers, birds and insects of the Wood River Valley since moving here in 1973. Since 2015 she has participated in various artist-in-residence programs, including one at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. She also has been involved with Plein Air Painters of Idaho, Idaho Watercolor Society and TAG (The Artist Group).

A master gardener, master birder and master naturalist, her artwork was included in the Flora of the National Parks 100th Anniversary at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.

Traue has a BS Degree in K-12 Art Education and MA in Literacy from Boise State University. A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., she teaches visual art and reading at Bellevue Elementary School, where she touts the power of art to encourage dialog, foster critical thinking and explore new ideas.

She says she was drawn to nature journaling as a way to cultivate gratitude, stay in tune with the changing seasons and sharpen her observational and drawing skills.