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a variety of air plants

Horticulture Workshop: Living Springtime Wreath

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Let’s get festive with native flowers, succulents, and air plants! Celebrate Springtime and the wonder of wildflowers by crafting a living botanical wreath. This course will satisfy both plant and art lovers alike; learn the science of epiphytes while you design and mount native flowers, succulents, and air plants. Create a masterpiece for your seasonal decor or a treasured...

Scientific Illustration & Observation in Watercolors

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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. Learn the basics of watercolor and gouache with step-by-step instruction by a master scientific illustrator. After a nature walk to gain knowledge of local...

Pinned butterfly specimens in a drawer

Watercolor Entomology: Butterflies

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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

A scrub jay on top of a dried plant

Earth Day Special: Birding Photography

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Learn to appreciate the diverse bird populations of Santa Cruz through a camera lens. Level-up your birding by applying photography tips, tricks, and techniques to capture these animals in action. Guided by an expert nature photographer, this open-air workshop will lead you on a nature walk to find inspiration from native fauna for your photography....

Birds in Gouache

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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...

green sea glass

Earth Day Special: Sea Glass Art

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Go green this Earth Day by creating a work of art from upcycled beach glass! As part of this special seasonal offering, discover the beauty of beachcombing as you create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece made from shoreline treasures. Using local and sustainably-sourced resources, participants will learn the basics of environmental sculpture and design with step-by-step instruction....

oil painting of a wave

Earth Day in Oils – Environmental Oil Painting

Seabright Beach 1300 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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...

plein air painting of a marsh

Intro to Plein Air Painting – Superblooms

Watsonville Wetlands 30 Harkins Slough Road, Watsonville, CA, United States

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...

A butterfly drawn with a stippling technique
Micro May

Scientific Illustration & Observation in Stippling

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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 through stipple art, which uses small dots to create the impression of texture, shading, or solidity. Learn this unique art style...

Nudibranch Painting Party!

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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 slugs 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...

Micro May

Biota & Biomes in Macrophotography

Henry Cowel State Park Felton, United States

Learn to appreciate the diminutive flora and fauna of Santa Cruz through a camera lens. Magnify your photography skills by applying special micro and macro tips, tricks, and techniques to capture and shed light on the micro world around you. Guided by an expert nature photographer, this open-air workshop will lead you on a nature...

Micro May

Oil Painting in Miniature

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Explore the tiny side of Tyrrell Park and learn to paint in oils! In celebration of Spring, learn how to capture the beauty of nature’s miniature marvels using oil paints. From pint-sized pollinators to delicate florals, this workshop will train your eye to find, and appreciate, the artful beauty hidden under your nose. This open-air...

Redwoods in Collage

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

For one night only, join celebrated international artist, Nicole Sylvia, for an evening of redwood-inspiring collaging! Drawing inspiration from the new Treasured Trees exhibit, participants will learn the beauty and intricacies of paper art. This workshop will cover the process of collage from ideation to structuring compelling compositions. Participants will learn how to arrange a...

Redwoods in Sculpture

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Let’s get festive with redwood horticultural art! Celebrate the new Treasured Trees exhibit and the wonder of forestscapes by crafting an arboreal-inspired sculpture. This course will satisfy both plant and art lovers alike as you learn the science of redwood ecosystems by designing, weaving, and mounting redwood materials into a beautiful model. Create a masterpiece for your...

Jumbo July

Botanical Scientific Illustration & Observation in Pastel

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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. Learn the basics of chalk pastel and colored pencil with step-by-step instruction by a master scientific illustrator. After a nature walk to gain knowledge...

Jumbo July

Redwoods in Dura-Lar

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

As part of this redwood exhibit special, learn from a featured scientific illustrator on how to capture the intricate beauty of forest ecosystems. Using the rare artistic medium, Dura-Lar, learn specialized stenciling and color pencils techniques with step-by-step instruction by a master naturalist and artist. By layering reference materials under the Dura-Lar, participants will learn...

Jumbo July

Giant Pacific Octopus Painting Party!

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

As part of this Jumbo July special, join an esteemed artist as you learn the science and art behind the most massive mollusk around! Featuring beautiful scientific illustration displays, this program is perfect for aspiring artists and marine biologists alike. Taught by a professional illustrator and naturalist, this workshop will begin with a scientific presentation...

Scientific Illustration in Charcoal

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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 the opening of the new Treasured Trees exhibit, and the redwoods’ resilience to fire, by learning to work with charcoal. Taught through step-by-step...

Intro to Plein Air Painting – Albino Redwoods

Byrne-Milliron Forest 809 Browns Valley Rd, Corralitos, United States

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...

Albino Redwoods in Oils

Byrne-Milliron Forest 809 Browns Valley Rd, Corralitos, United States

Capture the beauty of redwoods on canvas using the forests as inspiration. In celebration of the new Treasured Trees exhibit, adventure into the redwoods of the Byrne-Milliron Forest and learn to paint with oils using nature as a living reference. This open-air art workshop will teach the techniques necessary to capture environmental perspectives through the...

Educator Workshop with the Amah Mutsun

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for a collaborative workshop connecting local educators with tribal leaders and scholars. This workshop aims to deepen knowledge, clarify terminology, and provide a space for dialogue about incorporating a native perspective into K-12 curriculum. Teachers will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with colleagues and tribal representatives...

LiMPETS, Nature Club, Tide Pooling

LiMPETS Sandy Beach Monitoring Teacher Workshop

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History 165 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA, United States

Join us for a hands-on, in-person workshop in partnership with the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. This training is required for new participating teachers, grades 6th-12th. REGISTER Attendees will: Receive a 5-lesson curriculum aligned with NGSS and Common Core Get hands-on training in Pacific mole crab data collection and analysis → includes a classroom...