ArtSpeaks 2017: "Tonight, Art Is For Everyone"

ArtSpeaks promotional card

Last night I attended the very successful "ArtSpeaks 2017" event at the Ottawa City Hall in the Jean Pigott Hall.

Sketching the Abiwin Co-Op

My Daily Sketch: Abiwin Co-Op: 267 Somerset West (Oct. 2017; Watercolour, graphite and ink)

ArtSpeaks

I received an email last week that my watercolour "All Acts of Kindness" was selected for the October 20 exhibit "ArtSpeaks".

"ArtSpeaks is a new concept in the art community, which seeks to reduce the stigma of homelessness by exhibiting the clients’ artwork alongside established artists." (Source: ArtSpeaks)

"All Acts of Kindness" (watercolour, 5x7)

What I Learned From Shari Blaukopf

The Urban Sketchers community will be celebrating their 10 year anniversary this November 11, 2017.

The Urban Sketchers (USk) movement was started on Flickr in 2007 by journalist Gabriel ("Gabi") Campanario.

If you follow urban sketchers on social media you will know that there are quite a few sketchers that really stand out as exceptional and Montreal artist/urban sketcher Shari Blaukopf is one of them for sure!

So I made a request through USk Education Director Mário Linhares  to have Shari put on a workshop (the same workshop that she had previously given at the 2017 Urban Sketcher's Symposium in Chicago) called "Trees and the City"in Ottawa in September.

Hilarious Artist Statement Generator

Thanks to Julie Oakley (http://julieoakley.blogspot.ca/), I had great fun this morning playing with a hilarious artist statement generator.

You can give it a try here: http://500letters.org/form_15.php (Thanks Jasper Rigole)

Source: Cartoonstock.com https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/a/artist_statement.asp

"Happy are the painters, for they shall not be lonely"

My Monday inspiration came to me this morning by way of  Tara Leaver's  email that started with this lovely quote:

”Happy are the painters, 
for they shall not be lonely. 

Light and colour, peace and hope, 

will keep them company to the end of the day."  

Winston Churchill

The Pontiac Artists' Association 2017 Artist Residency (Part II)

On the drive to the residency with artist Kate Strickland we witnessed this sky!

This is a long, LONG post about my experiences at the  Pontiac Artists' Association 2017 Artist Residency in July 2017.

The Pontiac Artists' Association 2017 Artist Residency (Part I)

From July 17-21, 2017 I attended the 2017 Artist Residency a Project of the Pontiac Artists Association.

The following three group photographs are shared here with permission from the photographer. They were taken on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evening by artist and professional photographer Cheryl Dolan. Visit her website at  http://cheryldolan.blogspot.ca/

Photograph by Cheryl Dolan, (artist, photographer, and member of the Pontiac Artist' Association)

Photograph by Cheryl Dolan, (artist, photographer, and member of the Pontiac Artist' Association)

Photograph by Cheryl Dolan, (artist, photographer, and member of the Pontiac Artist' Association)

A Beautiful Day at Beechwood Cemetery

On Sunday July 23, 2017, the Ottawa Urban Sketchers spent the day sketching at the historic Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa.

Here are some photos that I managed to take of our group. Visit the Ottawa Urban Sketchers blog for more photos: https://ottawaurbansketchers.blogspot.ca/

We just love these smiles! Part of the group at the end of the day.

2017 Artists’ Residency Project

(Screen capture from 2014 Artists' Residency Project)

The Pontiac Artists Association (Quebec) (PAA) has invited me to join their 8th annual 2017 Artists' Residency Project and I am leaving in just a few days!

July Plans: Plein Air Painting, Urban Sketching and Quebec Artist Residency

I expect that my July posting will be spotty but for all the right reasons. I will be too busy painting and sketching outdoors!

So for now, I leave you with these photos taken in past years at some of my favourite locations.

My plein air painting of the Lavender farm, Quebec

June Anniversaries

In June 2015 I met an incredible group of Ottawa artists with whom I sketched the alleyways of Ottawa. It was a wonderful summer that culminated in an Alley Art Show during Chinatown Remixed.

In June 2016, I collborated with Jason Cobill and Maxime Gautheire-Kwan and many other artists to create the "Ottawa In Colour" colouring book. We had a book launch at the Chapter store located on Rideau St. in Ottawa. A definite highlight last summer!

Here are my tweets celebrating the anniversaries this week and I am reposting the video "Forgotten Spaces" about our Alley Project 2015.

Ottawa Urban Sketchers - Alley Project 2015 - My tweet

June 2017 Report

Finally! The perfect weather for urban sketching and plein air painting has arrived!

In June, there were SO MANY more opportunities for more life drawing (The Atomic Rooster, Art House Cafe and Atelier Denu ) and I managed to organize another sketch event for the Ottawa Urban Sketchers (at Doors Open Ottawa in conjunction with Synapcity's "100 in 1 Day" event).

May 2017 Report

May was an incredibly busy month and I am only just now realizing that I have not blogged. I have been doing a LOT of life drawing and I organized two urban sketching events (see my tweets below).

I also finished another sketch for The Wrench (Ottawas only street newspaper for the homeless) and continued with my sketchbook experiments.

June, July and August are all busy too but I will put more effort into regular blog post updates.

Below, I have added some of my tweets and sketches from the month of May 2017.

My watercolour sketch for The Wrench

Life Drawing

I have been absolutely loving the multiple opportunities for life drawing in Ottawa this spring: The Atomic Rooster , Atelier Denu (Thursday evenings) and the Art House Cafe (Tuesday Evenings)

Atomic Rooster - May 2, 2017 - My tweet

Atelier Denu - First Session - May 12, 2017 - My tweet of one of my sketches

Atelier Denu - May 19, 2017 - My tweet

Urban Sketching

I organized two more urban sketching events in May. The Experimental Farm (May 13) and the Great Glebe Garage Sale (May 27)

Experimental Farm - May 13, 2017 - My tweet

I did this sketch outside in the rain. Worth it though because the silos have changed.

Experimental Farm - May 13, 2017 - My tweet

Great Glebe Garage Sale - Urban Sketching - May 27, 2017 - My tweet

My Ottawa Urban Sketchers Bike mobile - Great Glebe Garage Sale

Urban Sketch - Great Glebe Garage Sale

Outline - Great Glebe Garage Sale sketch

Finished urban sketch - Great Glebe Garage Sale

And, as usual, there has been plenty of practice work and studies in my various sketchbooks. I do hope to complete some final pieces this summer for my new website launch. Stay tuned!

Colour Studies - gouache

Facebook Group - Different Strokes Art Challenge

April: I'm Distracted By Spring

2017 Spring Palette

So it has begun. Finally. Spring has finally "sprung" as they say

Earlier, I wrote about  Keeping A Nature Journal in Ottawa and I included a long list of links to other web sites that have great information on the natural history of the area.

In this post, on Earth Day 2017, I want to share a few of my sketches and tweets that I have created so far (and what I have learned) and some practical suggestions to help you create YOUR "Nature Journal" pages.

The Waxwings at Ottawa City Hall are always a treat (Link to tweet)

I could hear the mourning doves on my morning dog walk (Link to tweet)

The sound of gulls - a sure sign that the snow is melting and spring has arrived (Link to tweet)

Seeing this little guy on my patio was such a great surprise (Link to tweet)

Sometimes I take note of nature events that I heard from the http://www.ofnc.ca/ (link to tweet)

I love to learn something new about a familiar bird - like Macy's Department store gave us finches! (link to tweet)

Events can also be added to your nature journal (Link to tweet)

Spring bird-watching with The Ontario Field Ornithologists at Petrie Island (Link to tweet)

Keeping a Nature Journal - a healing practice (link to tweet)

Creating A Nature Journal for 2017

I am currently experimenting with templates for my journal pages. I have to keep reminding myself that nature journals ARE NOT supposed to be pretty (though they could be if you wanted them to be)

The real purpose of my nature journal is to pay attention to what is going on around me, to be curious, and to learn more about the "repeated refrains of nature" as Rachel Carson so beautifully said.

I thought it would be useful to develop a template for myself based on the nature prompts suggested by John Muir Laws  and also used by BEETLES (Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning & Expertise Sharing)

A fun visual way to remember these nature journal prompts 

“I notice, I wonder, it reminds me of.”

!?=

The first draft of my Nature Journal template

Here's an example of a page that I completed recently after a long dog walk using photos that I took on my cell phone.

My most recent Nature Journal page using this draft template

If you are starting to nature journal, please give this template a try and let me know what you think of it.

I thought you might enjoy watching a group of children practicing the ?!= method of nature observation.

You might also enjoy:

•  5 Reasons Why You Should Nature Journal http://www.natureoutside.com/5-reasons-why-you-should-keep-a-journal-and-my-secret-for-how-to-do-it/
• Journaling: Connection with nature can bring happiness and health https://www.losaltosonline.com/special-sections2/sections/your-home/54239- 
• Nature Journaling as Meditation http://remainsofday.blogspot.ca/p/nature-journaling-as-meditation.html
• Google Image search of Nature Journaling pages by others
• A downloadable .pdf book "Opening The World Through Nature Journaling"  http://sdchildrenandnature.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/CNPS_NatureJournaling_JMuirLaws_96p_2012.pdf
• A downloadable .pdf book: Nature Journaling Binder http://thewatershed.org/pdf/Education/NatureJournalingWebversion.pdf
• Language Making Nature http://www.languagemakingnature.com/blog/2016/5/22/nature-observation-and-journaling 
• Nature Journaling: John Muir Laws and the Art of Slowing Down, Sitting Still, and Paying Attention https://baynature.org/article/nature-journaling-john-muir-laws-and-the-art-of-slowing-down-sitting-still-and-paying-attention/
• Greg in San Diego:  I notice..., I wonder..., It reminds me of... Nature Journaling  http://sandiegogreg.blogspot.ca/2016/11/i-notice-i-wonder-it-reminds-me-of.html

Life Drawing in Ottawa

NOTE: Updated April 13, 2017
I attended the inaugural evening of Life Drawing at the Art House Cafe in Ottawa last night (March 28, 2017) and I am so glad to hear that this will become a weekly event in the future.

Some of my sketches from last night's "Life Drawing at the Art House Cafe" l

Ottawa artist Kat MacGregs organized and hosted this great event at the Art House Cafe and the semi-clothed male model of the night was incredible and did the following poses:

• five one-minute poses
• five two-minute poses
• four five-minute poses
• two ten-minute poses
• two twenty-minute poses
• one forty-five minute pose

It was a full house at this first Art House Cafe Life drawing session that started at 7 pm and ended at 10 pm. There were several breaks where artists could grab a beverage or something to eat. The cost was $10 which went towards paying the model and renting the Art House Cafe space.This is a non-profit event and any surplus cash will be put towards the purchase of more equipment (easels, lighting etc) in the future.(The Art House Cafe had limited drawing equipment/utensils available: easels were $2 to rent).

I love that the organizer/host Kat welcomes all skill levels to this event. The official promo material also states that "ALL orientations, ethnicities, ages, sizes, skin colour, genders, etc." are welcome.

Kat also reminds everyone participating that "the drawing sessions are hosted on unceded Algonquin territory".

Best wishes for continued success Kat and thanks so much for organizing and hosting this great life drawing event. Details on how to sign up to the Facebook group are below.

The official poster.

OTHER OTTAWA LIFE DRAWING VENUES

Below is a list of all the Life Drawing venues that I could find in Ottawa.
Please use the comment section below to notify me of any errors or omissions.
NOTE: Updated April 13, 2017

Drawing At The Rooster - The Femme Fatale session - April 2016

ATELIER DENU: This summer workshop series cycles through instructed lessons, classic life drawing, costumed poses, and long-pose compositions. Participants can drop in for one session, can register for four weeks at a time, can register for all workshops of a type, or can commit themselves to regular practice all summer long.

FREQUENCY:  Every Thursday from 18:30 to 21:00, May 11 to August 31 uOttawa Laurier Building, room 302* (100 Laurier Avenue)
ACCESSIBILITY NOTE: The painting studio LRR 302 is up three flights of stairs.

COST: $10.00 fee (see bundle prices above).

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/AtelierDenu/ For more information
atelierdenu@gmail.com atelierdenu.blogspot.com

 SANDY HILL: This is the oldest venue in Ottawa for Life Drawing. "Our workshop has been running for over 30 years. It is probably the largest and cheapest in Ottawa. The class is co-operative and non profit. There is no registration fee and no up-front payment. You only pay for the sessions that you attend. Everyone helps with the room set-up before the session and then helps in the clean-up afterwards as much as they are able."

FREQUENCY:  Every Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:30 at the Sandy Hill Community Centre basement

COST: $5.00 fee (includes tea and a snack).

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/SandyHillLifeDrawingWorkshop/

DRAWING AT THE ROOSTER: This event is hosted by Ottawa artists Peter and Rebecca Purdy. Each month there is a new theme and thee three models for the night wear costumes.

FREQUENCY:  The first Tuesday of every month 7:00 to 10 pm at the Atomic Rooster on Bank St.

COST: Non-profit. Pay what you can. Money goes to models. Best sketch wins a Rooster Gift Certificate

SOCIAL MEDIA:  Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/854616347887771/

LIFE DRAWING AT THE ART HOUSE CAFE  This event had its launch on March 28. 2017 and had to turn away interested artists due to space limitations.

FREQUENCY:  Every Tuesday starting April 11 7:00 to 10 pm at the Art House Cafe
ACCESSIBILITY NOTE: NO wheelchair access

COST: Non-profit. $10

SOCIAL MEDIA:  Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/290806461336951/

THE DRAWING ROOM STUDIO  This is a professional studio. "Poses are 5-6 hours per day. We start at 9:30am on the nose, and doors open at 9am to come get set up. We draw from 9:30am – 12:30pm, and then break for an hour for lunch. The afternoon session runs from 1:30pm – 3:30pm or 4:30pm."

FREQUENCY:  Sign up to be notified when new sessions are announced. (A minimum of 5 artists required)

COST: Approximately $60 for two full days (9:30-4:30)

SOCIAL MEDIA: Website: http://www.thedrawingroomstudio.ca/

P(a)INT AND DRAW

FREQUENCY:  second Wednesday of every month from 6:00-9:00 PM in the beautiful church hall of St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts (a re-purposed Roman Catholic church), located just past the Byward Market in Lowertown.

COST: $15 (cash only)

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/799476493518862/

GREENBORO LIFE DRAWING WORSHOP

FREQUENCY:    Saturdays 1:00pm to 3:30pm at the Greenboro Pavillion 14 Tapiola Crescent, South Keys Youth/Senior Room

COST: The model cost is shared among attendees, and is currently $10 per person.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: Greenboro Pavillion Life Drawing Workshop https://www.facebook.com/groups/GreenboroLifeDrawing/

LIFE DRAWING INITIATIVE AT ALGONQUIN COLLEGE This is an uninstructed life drawing session  
FREQUENCY:   Tuesdays and Thursdays in room A145H at Algonquin College  5PM-8PM from May to August

COST: They now offer a $40 Membership for Algonquin College students and $100 for non- Algonquin Students. This is for the duration of the summer. Walk-ins for non-members/non-Algonquin students is $10. Proceeds go to pay for the models (often in costume) and for equipment.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/540356179474714/

LIFE DRAWING LINKS

• Life Drawing Classes, Workshops, and Open Studios in Canada http://www.artmodelbook.com/figure-drawing-canada.htm
• Line of Action - Free online tool that provides you with a figure drawing class of any length you choose, anywhere you have internet access. Practice often! https://line-of-action.com/practice-tools/figure-drawing/

OTHER WEEKLY VENUES WORTH LOOKING INTO 

(With thanks to Laurie Foster-MacLeod)

SATURDAYS:

Greenboro Pavillion Life Drawing: Drop in and join us any Saturday afternoon 1:00 to 3:30 pm / Registration is free, and everyone is welcome. Many members who join us are drawing for the first time. The model cost is $10 per person. Location: 14 Tapiola Cres. (near Albion Rd. & Johnsston Rd., east of Bank St.)

“The Drawing Studio”, Hamilton Ave. south (Civic Hospital area). Long poses, varying from 5 to 6 hours per day (with lunch break), same model & pose for Saturday & Sunday; monthly or bi-monthly. Facilitator: Sarah Marie Lacy: sarah@thedrawingstudio.ca http://www.thedrawingroomstudio.ca/

SUNDAYS:

Life Drawing: Nepean Visual Arts Centre @ Nepean Sportsplex, Woodroffe Ave., just south of Huntclub – Mornings (September – June)

Kanata Art Club @ 1030 Riddell Drive, Kanata (Kanata Montessori School), located near the intersection of March and Dunrobin Roads – Life Drawing, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, 6-week session (not in summer); participants must be members of the Kanata Art Club. Share model fee, due on registration, which is on first-come, first served basis. Info: www.kacl.ca / Info: Kie Delgaty: 613-623-2638 / kdelgaty@sympatico.ca The Kanata Art Club also runs a weekly Portraiture Studio & Costumed model Studio.

“Go Figure” Life drawing group in Burritt’s Rapids: meets about once a month, for the day. Bring lunch. Contact: Arlene Hare: <arhare@ripnet.com>

MONDAYS:

Portraiture: Nepean Visual Arts Centre @ Nepean Sportsplex, Woodroffe Ave., just south of Huntclub – Mornings, 9:30-12:00 noon (year round)

Kanata Art Club @ 1030 Riddell Drive, Kanata (Kanata Montessori School), located near the intersection of March and Dunrobin Roads – Costumed Model Drawing, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, 6-week session (not in summer); participants must be members of the Kanata Art Club. Share model fee, due on registration, which is on first-come, first served basis. Info: www.kacl.ca / Info: Kie Delgaty: 613-623-2638 / kdelgaty@sympatico.ca The Kanata Art Club also runs a weekly Portraiture Studio & Life Drawing Studio.

TUESDAYS:

Life drawing: Nepean Visual Arts Centre @ Nepean Sportsplex, Woodroffe Ave., just south of Huntclub – Mornings, easels, chairs & small movable side tables supplied (September – June)

“The Bottom Line” held at Sandy Hill Community Centre, Somerset Street East in Sandy Hill, mornings / Chairs provided, bring own materials / Co-ordinator: Colin Buckett art.stuff@hotmail.com (September – June)

The Atomic Rooster, Bank Street (near Somerset): monthly “Drawing at the Rooster” with costumed models, in restaurant/ bar. Free, fun. Info on Facebook

WEDNESDAYS:

NECTAR (New Edinburgh Community & Arts Centre), 255 MacKay, The Community Room; ‘Figure Drawing & Painting Workshop,’ an extended pose workshop; 9:30 am – 12:30 pm; http://nectarcentre.ca/adult-arts-programs - Coordinator: John Jarrett; Contact: 613-745-2742 / <nectarcentregm@gmail.com>

Sandy Hill Life Drawing Workshop @ Sandy Hill Community Centre, evening: 7:00 – 9:30 pm; open workshop, $5/ evening (cash only), drop-ins welcome. (year round) Chairs provided; co-ordinator: Dan Northcott: 613-523-7365  dannorthcott@yahoo.ca / Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SandyHillLifeDrawingWorkshop/home

Kanata Art Club @ 1030 Riddell Drive, Kanata (Kanata Montessori School), located near the intersection of March and Dunrobin Roads – Portrait Drawing Studio, 1:00 – 3:30 pm, 6-week session (not in summer); participants must be members of the Kanata Art Club. Share model fee, due on registration, which is on first-come, first served basis. Info: www.kacl.ca / Info: Kie Delgaty: 613-623-2638 / kdelgaty@sympatico.ca The Kanata Art Club also runs a weekly Life Drawing Studio & Costumed model Studio.

THURSDAYS:

Life drawing Studio: Nepean Visual Arts Centre @ Nepean Sportsplex, Woodroffe Ave., just south of Huntclub – Mornings; easels, chairs & small movable side tables supplied (September – June)

FRIDAYS:

Long pose Life Studio in Hintonburg: @ Takahashi Martial Arts dojo, 5 Melrose Avenue / morning; same model and pose for 6 weeks, naked, costumed or draped; Fee: $100 / 6 sessions or $20. per session; Facilitator: Miki Chart: 613-581-6617 mtakashima@hotmail.com; held in a martial arts studio, so please bring drop clothes for the area you are working in plus all your easel and materials. Please make sure to arrange with Miki in advance, so she can let you know if there is room.

Atelier Denu: (See 2017 information above) summer life drawing workshops (June 24 – Aug. 12, 2016); evenings 7:00 – 9:00 pm in room 307 of the Grad House, 601 Cumberland, above the Café Nostalgica at the University of Ottawa. Cost: drop-in $5 per session / free for high school students or U of Ottawa graduate students. Bring your own materials. http://atelierdenu.blogspot.ca/

 

Keeping A Nature Journal in Ottawa

I have made a resolution to keep a dedicated 2017 Nature Journal starting this spring (if spring ever arrives in Ottawa). 

Some pages from my March 2017 Nature Journal

It seems that I have been keeping a nature journal forever.......some years much more intensely than others.

My Nature Journal from 1986

In the past, I loved sketching birds and I used my Nature Journal as a way of studying and remembering distinctive features of various species.

My Nature Journal: unfinished bird sketch dated 1980

I also used my Nature Journal to study trees, their overall shapes and distinctive features. I admire folks who can look at a tree far off in the distance and know exactly what it was just by its shape and location.

My Nature Journal dated January 1986

I attended an event in 2015 hosted by the Ottawa Field Naturalists Club where we were looking for fall shorebirds on migration at Mud Lake and Shirley's Bay.

The sketches below were done from photographs after the event as a way of recording what we did, where we went and all of the birds that we saw that day.

My Nature Journal: Birding at Mud Lake

My Nature Journal: Birding at Shirley's Bay

 My Nature Journal Sketch Book

I have decided to dedicate my Fabriano Venizia sketchbook (that I purchased at the beginning of this year) to gather all of my nature 2017 nature sketches.

I decided to stop using the Fabriano Venezia sketch book as my 'daily sketchbook' because is too heavy to carry in my sketch bag; the book does not stay flat when opened and requires many clips and I am disappointed in how the cotton paper holds my many mediums (watercolour, gouache, graphite, ink etc.)

So I've re-purposed the Fabriano Venizia sketchbook into my 2017 Nature Journal! It will make a perfect book for scribbling my nature notes in as well as pasting sketches that are cut out from my other sketch pads like this cardinal below, that I originally sketched on a mixed-media pad.

Today's sketch to record the Northern Cardinal that I saw while dog walking

My Nature Journal Field Guides 

Below are some of the Ottawa reference books and materials that I have on hand to add information to my sketch notes. Of course the internet is an amazing resource as well.

My field guide home library

My Nature Journal Links for Ottawa

One of the first activities I did in my 2017 Nature Journal this year was to map out the trees in my neighbourhood where I walk regularly. To do this I needed online help from the City of Ottawa's Tree Inventory where every tree (that the City of Ottawa is responsible for) is mapped and named (in Latin) with the radius of the tree trunk! I love this resource!

I will be adding this helpful nature-journaling link and many others to the list below. Keep checking back for new additions.

In Early spring, the buds begin to swell. Its fun to look for them on daily walks.

OTTAWA & ONTARIO LINKS

• City of Ottawa's Tree Inventory
• Ottawa Field Naturalist Club
• Ottawa Field Naturalist Club Bird Sightings Reports (Weekly) 
•  Ottawa Bird Checklist (OFNC)
• Ottawa Falcon Watch
• Ottawa Duck Club
• Neily World - detailed birding guides for Ottawa 
• A Birdfinding Guide to the Ottawa Area
• Ottawa Bird Count 
• Ottawa Wild Care Bird Centre
• Safewings Ottawa 
• Ottawa Tree Atlas
• Ottawa River Keeper
• Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Archaeology Society 
• Ontario Avibase
• Ontario Butterflies and Moths
• Ontario Ferns 
• Ontario Field Ornithologists 
• Ontario Grasses, Sedges and Rushes 
• Ontario Insects
• Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas  
• Ontario Trees and Shrubs
• Ontario Wildflowers
• Ontario Wildflowers and other Flora
• Old Growth Forest Database
• Ottawa's Fletcher Wildlife Garden
• Ottawa's Friends of Petrie Island
• Ottawa's Innis Point Bird Observatory 
• Ottawa's NCC Greenbelt Trails 
• Ecology Ottawa

 GATINEAU & QUEBEC LINKS

• Friends of Gatineau Park  
• Liste des oiseaux observés au Québec  
• Birds of Quebec

OTHER HELPFUL LINKS

• Cornell University Online Bird Guide
• Cornell University FREE app "MERLIN" (for bird watching)
• Cornell University  "BirdCast" Website and Twitter Account (Forecasting and analyzing bird migration with weather, radar, and citizen science data. Based at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, USA.)
• Nature Instruct - Canada  

John Muir Laws: The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling

Nature Journal Links 

• Sierra Club: Making Your Own Nature Journal
• Sierra Club Nature Journal Template (pdf) 
• Mother Nature Network - How to keep a nature journal
• Susan Leigh Tomlinson: How to Keep a Naturalist's Notebook
• Smithsonian: Introduction To The Nature Journal (pdf)
• Cathy Johnson: Field Sketching and Keeping a Nature Journal (pdf) 

I will be posting some of my 2017 Nature Journal pages here on my blog. If you will be nature journaling and/or blogging your nature adventures in Ottawa, please add your link in the comment section below.

Likewise, if you have interesting links you would like to share on Ottawa-Gatineau natre and sketching opportunities, please add that in the comment section below as well.

Happy sketching!