An example of one of the completed Chapbooks from the previous course.
An Introduction to Creative Nature Journaling
Following two sold-out courses earlier this spring and summer, I have been asked to run another course with the fantastic organisation that is the Natural History Society of Northumbria.
Join artist and naturalist Steve Pardue for a hands-on, immersive course designed to introduce you to the art of nature journaling at the Great North Museum: Hancock. Whether you've always wanted to start a nature journal but didn’t know where to begin, or if you've tried and struggled to maintain the habit, this course is for you!
Over three sessions, you’ll learn how to notice nature in new and meaningful ways and translate your observations into creative expression on the page. You’ll explore some of the fascinating treasures within NHSN’s North East Nature Archive (NENA) and learn how nature journals have played a pivotal role in documenting and preserving our understanding of the natural world.
This course is all about observation and creative expression. No need for advanced artistic skills, just a love of nature and a willingness to have a go! You'll learn how to develop a daily journaling habit and how to capture the world around you in your own unique way.
Course Overview:
Session 1: Tuesday, 4 November 2025 | 1pm – 4pm | Introduction to Nature Journaling
Explore the treasures of the NHSN North East Nature Archive (NENA)
Learn techniques for observation and creative expression
Session 2: Tuesday, 18 November 2025 | 1pm – 4pm | Nature Storytelling
Explore the museum collections at the Great North Museum: Hancock
Explore more NENA treasures
Practice drawing from nature and incorporating storytelling into your journal
Session 3: Tuesday, 2 December 2025 | 1pm – 4pm | Completing Your Nature Journal
Consolidate your learning and finish your nature journal with watercolours
Tips for maintaining your journaling practice beyond the course
Celebration Event: Tuesday, 16 December 2025 |1pm - 3pm
A wonderful opportunity for course participants to come together for tea and cake and celebrate their completed nature journals.
By the end of the course, you’ll:
Have a completed nature journal to take home
Have developed the skills and confidence to continue journaling independently
Gain a deeper connection to the natural world and your own creative expression
We’ll provide a small kit of materials to get you started, including:
2 Fineliner ink pens
Steve’s "Shortcut to Nature Journaling" guide
A blank concertina nature journal
At the end of the course, we invite you to contribute your artwork to NHSN’s North East Nature Archive (NENA) housed in the Great North Museum: Hancock. If you choose to donate your journal or allow us to scan your pages, your work will become a permanent part of this growing collection, preserving your observations for future generations.
We also invite you to share your reflections on nature as part of the Nature's Cure in Times of Need project, made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Your stories can be added to the archive collection, helping create a record of local people's connection with nature across the North East.