The Artful Map, a One Page Nature Journal is a course held over three days at the North Cascades Institute Environmental Learning Center (NCI-LC). This year this will be June 26-28, 2015. The class is listed online and registration is open! Click here to go directly to the course description. You may also read the lodging options (these dictate the cost) on this page. 

A note about the course title: over the years that I have taught this class, I have encouraged participants to bring their own ideas for maps they would like to make. These may not have anything to do with nature journals. To me it is more important to offer a customized learning experience than to hold students to my original concept of the class. We just haven't changed the name! Going to the NCI-LC is in fact going on a retreat where you will have lots of time to immerse yourself in your work. Maps are labor intensive. The late June days are long with sunlight, allowing time for hiking, eating, walking in or sitting in the forest or by the lake in addition to your working time in the classroom.

I have posted extensively about this course. Please follow the link below to see these reviews and some of my maps done as professional assignments.

http://www.jocelyncurry.com/jocelyn_curry_calligraphy/map-design-mapmaking-classes/

One of four maps made for Snohomish County PUD"s Judy Reservoir water treatment plant, this map shows how geometric shapes and map graphics are enhanced by classic ink drawing and watercolor use. The client didn't want any labeling on this map so it is in effect incomplete, Labeling was to be done later, using fonts.

Registration for Letters of Joy, where the class below will take place, begins March 16--not before. Click on the link for Write on Calligraphers to print out the form to mail in for registration. 

The Personal Letter as Manuscript, May 1 + 2, 2015, Letters of Joy regional conference for calligraphers and artists. Sponsored by Write On Calligraphers  (WOC) of Edmonds, WA. This conference is held at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, WA. Classes are held all day on May 2. Keynote address, vendors and a silent auction will be held in the evening of May 1. A registration form will be available on Write On Calligraphers' website (the link above will take you there). 

The Personal Letter as Manuscript will be a two-hour class, as will all of the Letters of Joy classes. I will offer instruction and experimentation in using calligraphic fountain pens as sketching, writing, and decorating tools on personal notes and letters. An example of what I'm talking about appears below. Please check back and keep an eye on the WOC website.

A fine-tipped Shaeffer calligraphy fountain pen, colored pencils and metallic gel pen were used to write a spontaneous letter. Common manuscript elements of a top border, an initial cap and a side and bottom borders were used. No lines were drawn ahead of time; the idea is for a letter to be spontaneous in appearance.

Possible Art Map workshop in southwest Washington State/Portland, OR

There is interest in my teaching a map workshop in the vicinity of Vancouver, WA or other location convenient to those in southwest WA and Portland and nearby communities. Are you interested? Please let me know! Email me via the link in the column to the right of this one. Thank you!! I'd love to see you in class.