The Art of Nature 2025

5/9 Nudibranch Painting Party!

As part of this Art of Nature exhibit special, join an esteemed artist as you learn the science and art behind the most adorable sea slug around!

Featuring beautiful scientific illustration displays from the exhibit, this program is perfect for aspiring artists and marine biologists alike.

Taught by a professional illustrator and exhibitor, this workshop will begin with a scientific presentation on nudibranch sea slugs before transitioning to the painting portion. Using the artist’s exhibit materials as references, participants will use acrylic paint and decorate their own 3D-printed nudibranch for a one-of-a-kind marine mollusk masterpiece.

No prior experience required. Participants will have a completed art piece to take home at the conclusion of the workshop. Open to ages 16+/all experience levels. All supplies included.

FYI: This class takes place indoors. Supplies may get messy, so casual attire is recommended.

📆 Friday, May 9th

⏱️ 6 – 8 p.m.

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

1305 East Cliff DR, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Register

Instructor: Arin Vasquez

Materials: All supplies are included in class fee.

Class Fee: $46 – Museum Members receive a special discounted price applied at checkout.

About the Exhibit: The Art of Nature

Scientific illustration brings to life the wonders of nature, from minute zooplankton to extinct megafauna. Explore the beauty and fine details of the world around us in the special exhibit featuring works from 46 local artists in a variety of mediums, all sure to inspire curiosity and deepen connections with science and nature. The Museum has been exhibiting science illustration since 1989 and this beloved annual show is guaranteed to appeal to lovers of both science and art. On view March 28th – June 8th, 2025.

Artwork by: Maria Amorette Klos, 2024

Explore The Art of Nature
Explore All Events

The Art of Nature is supported by

5/3 Scientific Illustration & Observation in Stippling

Love nature, science, and art but don’t know where to start? Here is your opportunity to master a new skill and bring home your own environmentally-inspired masterpiece after just one class.  

Celebrate Micro May and The Art of Nature through stipple art, which uses small dots to create the impression of texture, shading, or solidity. Learn this unique art style through step-by-step instruction by a master scientific illustrator. After a nature walk to gain knowledge of miniscule local flora and fauna, apply your observations to hue composition, shadow and light techniques, color theory, mixing media, building layers, creating a palette, and more. This class is perfect for aspiring artists or creative naturalists with no prior experience, only a big passion for tiny arts and sciences. 

Participants will have a completed art piece to take home at the conclusion of the workshop. Open to ages 16+/all experience levels. All supplies included.

This class takes place outside, under a tent. Dress appropriately for the outdoors.

📆 Saturday, May 3rd

⏱️ 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

1305 East Cliff DR, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Register

Materials Fee: All supplies are included in class fee.

Class Fee: $35 – Museum Members receive a special discounted price applied at checkout.

Instructor: Cady DeLay

About the Exhibit: The Art of Nature

Scientific illustration brings to life the wonders of nature, from minute zooplankton to extinct megafauna. Explore the beauty and fine details of the world around us in the special exhibit featuring works from 46 local artists in a variety of mediums, all sure to inspire curiosity and deepen connections with science and nature. The Museum has been exhibiting science illustration since 1989 and this beloved annual show is guaranteed to appeal to lovers of both science and art. On view March 28th – June 8th, 2025.

Artwork by: Maria Amorette Klos, 2024

Explore The Art of Nature
Explore All Events

The Art of Nature is supported by

4/27 Intro to Plein Air Painting – Superblooms

Go outside and learn to paint gouache and watercolor landscapes while surrounded by nature as inspiration.

This open-air art workshop will teach the techniques necessary to capture environmental perspectives through the creative use of negative space, layering, various stroke techniques, and more. Using the Museum’s exclusive access to various vistas as reference, participants will be guided through the basics of transferring the wonder of wildflowers and Spring’s superblooms to canvas with step-by-step instruction.

No prior experience required. Participants will have a completed art piece to take home at the conclusion of the workshop. Open to ages 16+/all experience levels. All supplies included.

This class takes place outside; dress appropriately for the outdoors. Supplies may get messy, so casual attire is recommended.

📆 Sunday, April 27th

⏱️ 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

📍 Watsonville Wetlands

Register

Materials Fee: All supplies are included in class fee. Participants are welcome to bring their own gardening supplies.

Class Fee: $43 – Museum Members receive a special discounted price applied at checkout.

Instructor: Taylor Seamount

About the Exhibit: The Art of Nature

Scientific illustration brings to life the wonders of nature, from minute zooplankton to extinct megafauna. Explore the beauty and fine details of the world around us in the special exhibit featuring works from 46 local artists in a variety of mediums, all sure to inspire curiosity and deepen connections with science and nature. The Museum has been exhibiting science illustration since 1989 and this beloved annual show is guaranteed to appeal to lovers of both science and art. On view March 28th – June 8th, 2025.

Artwork by: Maria Amorette Klos, 2024

Explore The Art of Nature
Explore All Events

The Art of Nature is supported by

4/26 Earth Day in Oils – Environmental Oil Painting

Let’s go to the beach and learn to paint in oils!

In recognition of Earth Day, learn how to use oil paints in an environmentally friendly, solvent-free way. 

This open-air art workshop will teach the techniques necessary to capture environmental perspectives through the creative use of negative space, layering, various stroke techniques, and more. Paint a vibrant, local seascape while minimizing waste and avoiding harmful chemicals, whilst getting the depth, richness and quality for which oil paints are renowned.

No prior experience required. Participants will have a completed art piece to take home at the conclusion of the workshop. Open to ages 16+/all experience levels. All supplies included.

This class takes place outside; dress appropriately for the outdoors. Supplies may get messy, so casual attire is recommended.

📆 Saturday, April 26th

⏱️ 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

📍 Seabright Beach

Register

Materials Fee: All supplies are included in class fee.

Class Fee: $45 – Museum Members receive a special discounted price applied at checkout.

Instructor: Victoria Galitzine

About the Exhibit: The Art of Nature

Scientific illustration brings to life the wonders of nature, from minute zooplankton to extinct megafauna. Explore the beauty and fine details of the world around us in the special exhibit featuring works from 46 local artists in a variety of mediums, all sure to inspire curiosity and deepen connections with science and nature. The Museum has been exhibiting science illustration since 1989 and this beloved annual show is guaranteed to appeal to lovers of both science and art. On view March 28th – June 8th, 2025.

Artwork by: Maria Amorette Klos, 2024

Explore The Art of Nature
Explore All Events

The Art of Nature is supported by

4/23 Art of Nature Workshop: Birds in Gouache

As part of this Art of Nature special, learn from one of the featured exhibitors on how to capture the intricate beauty of birds.

Spotlighting local Santa Cruz species as models, participants will learn how to paint the nuanced features of these stunning seasonal subjects. In addition to learning the painting techniques, participants will also learn how to be a naturalist when it comes to bird identification and observation.

Learn the basics of gouache and watercolor with step-by-step instruction by a master naturalist and artist. Apply your observations to hue, composition, brush techniques, color theory, color-mixing, layering, creating a palette, and more. This class is perfect for aspiring artists or creative nature lovers with no prior experience, only a passion for the arts and sciences.

No prior experience required. Participants will have a completed art piece to take home at the conclusion of the workshop. Open to ages 16+/all experience levels. All supplies included.

This class takes place indoors. Supplies may get messy, so casual attire is recommended.

📆 Wednesday, April 23rd

⏱️ 6 – 8 p.m.

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

1305 East Cliff DR, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Register
Materials Fee: All supplies are included in class fee.
Class Fee: $45 – Museum Members receive a special discounted price applied at checkout.
Instructor: Maria Klos

About the Exhibit: The Art of Nature

Scientific illustration brings to life the wonders of nature, from minute zooplankton to extinct megafauna. Explore the beauty and fine details of the world around us in the special exhibit featuring works from 46 local artists in a variety of mediums, all sure to inspire curiosity and deepen connections with science and nature. The Museum has been exhibiting science illustration since 1989 and this beloved annual show is guaranteed to appeal to lovers of both science and art. On view March 28th – June 8th, 2025.

Artwork by: Maria Amorette Klos, 2024

Explore The Art of Nature
Explore All Events

The Art of Nature is supported by

4/18 Art of Nature Workshop: Butterflies in Watercolor

As part of this Springtime special, get up close and personal with the art of arthropods!

Featuring beautiful insect displays, from the rarely seen insect taxidermy collection, this program is perfect for aspiring artists and entomologists alike.

Taught by a professional entomological illustrator, this workshop will begin with a scientific presentation on insects before transitioning to the painting portion. Using the Museum’s taxidermy collections as references, participants will learn the basics of watercolor and sketching with step-by-step instruction.

No prior experience required. Participants will have a completed art piece to take home at the conclusion of the workshop. Open to ages 16+/all experience levels. All supplies included.

This class takes place indoors. Supplies may get messy, so casual attire is recommended.

📆 Friday, April 18th

⏱️ 6 – 8 p.m.

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

1305 East Cliff DR, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Register
Materials Fee: All supplies are included in class fee.
Class Fee: $36 – Museum Members receive a special discounted price applied at checkout.
Instructor: Chloe Rickards

About the Exhibit: The Art of Nature

Scientific illustration brings to life the wonders of nature, from minute zooplankton to extinct megafauna. Explore the beauty and fine details of the world around us in the special exhibit featuring works from 46 local artists in a variety of mediums, all sure to inspire curiosity and deepen connections with science and nature. The Museum has been exhibiting science illustration since 1989 and this beloved annual show is guaranteed to appeal to lovers of both science and art. On view March 28th – June 8th, 2025.

Artwork by: Maria Amorette Klos, 2024

Explore The Art of Nature
Explore All Events

The Art of Nature is supported by