Essays

Moseying: Living La Vida Llanero

Art Classes, guided walks, gardening, and more at the Sibley Nature Center
January 16, 2011

Art Classes

Starting on Saturday, January 15, 2011, Michael W. Nickell (Museum Specialist of the Sibley Nature Center) will begin offering a series of fundamental drawing courses with emphasis toward nature drawing and journaling. Each course is scheduled to be five weeks in length on Saturdays from 12:00-2:00 for Pencil Drawing I. (The Pencil Drawing II class will resume the same day from 2:00-4:00). Pencil II begins on January 15th at 2 p.m., while Pencil I will begin January 22nd at noon until 2 p.m.

The beginning courses will include Pencil Drawing I, Pencil Drawing II, Light on Form, Composition, and Color Theory, and must be taken in sequence. For those who complete all five fundamental courses, other advanced courses will be offered and might include Nature Drawing, Pen and Ink Drawing, Colored Pencil Drawing, Textures from Nature, Drawing Animals, Drawing and Painting Animal Details, Botanical Illustration, and Scientific Illustration. The cost of tuition for each course will be $50.00 for Sibley Members and $80.00 for non-members. (Single Sibley memberships are $25.00 per year.)

Mr. Nickell has been a professional practicing scientific illustrator and nature artist for over 30 years. His clientele has included National Geographic, Texas Parks and Wildlife, The Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock Lake Landmark, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Oklahoma, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, The Square House Museum, Encyclopedia Britannica, and others. His work is also in numerous private collections.

For more information call Michael W. Nickell at the Sibley Nature Center at 684-6827 or email at michael@sibleynaturecenter.org. There will be a minimum of five per class, but a maximum of 15 in class size with a minimum age of 14. No prior experience is necessary for Pencil Drawing I, but willingness to work, study, and try new things is paramount.

Guided Walks

Because of winter's chilly temperatures our guided walks on Mondays and Fridays have been poorly attended. Part of the fun of getting out and exploring is to experience the extremes of conditions – we will not go out if precipitation if falling, temperature is below 20, or if the wind is over 30 miles an hour – but those conditions have yet to be met! All you have to do is dress appropriately! Layers, layers, and more layers, and gloves and a fuzzy warm cap will do it, you know. Families are invited out on Mondays at 9 a.m. and senior citizens are invited out on Fridays at 9 a.m.

Drought Resistant Gardening Classes

This spring we will start another outdoor program for folks to come and join. Drought resistant gardening will be led by me from 10:30 to noon on Mondays. Bring along a pair of pruners and some gloves. We will truly garden – wander around in the gardens, weed, prune, mulch, and sit and talk. We will do lots of talking about the plants and how to water and maintain them. Drought resistant gardening is also known as xeriscaping.

January 17th will be the kick off day! Folks that participate will become eligible for our plant buyers club for the plant sales in April and May. The club gets to preorder what they want for their garden, and get a discount (5%)!. If you become a Sibley member you will get a 10% discount at the sales!

Master Naturalists

Over 30 people signed up to become Master Naturalists in 2011, and folks can join late! this group goes to private lands once a month to explore the 8 major habitats of the region. The class costs $75. To learn more, call me at 684.6827. Our Permian Basin Outing Club also takes weekend trips once a month. Sometimes the group canoes, rappels, fishes, backpacks, mountain bikes, and caves. Membership is $25. Sometimes 40 great folks go along!