A Year of Creativity, Connection & Gratitude

As the year draws to a close, we want to pause and say a heartfelt thank you to our valued clients, subscribers, members, tutors, volunteers, and supporters. It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of another remarkable year — one filled with inspiring classes, creative breakthroughs, meaningful connections, and many moments of quiet wonder in nature.

Everything we do at NatureArt Lab is about helping people connect with nature in thoughtful, creative, and accessible ways — and that simply wouldn’t be possible without you. Thank you for being part of something very special.

National Recognition & Milestones

This year we were honoured to receive national recognition for our work, acknowledging both our values and our growing impact:

• Telstra Best of Business Awards – Finalist
  Promoting Sustainability and Accelerating Women

• Awards Australia / Channel 7 – NSW & ACT Semi-Finalist
  Connecting Communities and Small Business Achievement

We celebrated the Awards Australia gala in Sydney with our team proudly on stage — a meaningful moment recognising the collective effort behind NatureArt Lab.

Awards Australia Gala Event. Images supplied by Julia Landford

By the Numbers – A Year in Review

2025 was a big year for learning, making, and sharing:

• 700+ students participated across workshops, courses, and programs

• Dozens of art courses spanning drawing, watercolour, mixed media, printmaking, journaling, illustration, and nature-based practices
   
• School partnership with Marist College, delivering 12 nature-based workshops led by Cristy Froehlich inspiring over 200 Year Nine boys to connect with nature
   
• Community event participation including at the Seniors Expo as well as events at the National Archives meeting thousands of people. 
   
• Nature journaling workshops, Lanyon Homestead as part of theHeritage Festival, Canberra

Orchids in Watercolour with Dr Anna Voytsekhovich, Image supplied by Julia Landford

Watercolour One, Image supplied by Karen Holloway; Marist College students, image supplied by Cristy Froehlich

Journal in the Field sketches supplied by Ami Sangari

Members Social Sessions ran consistently across the year, with 3 sessions per term and over 40 participants

6 nature tours delivered:

• 4 national tours (Heron Island, Tasmania, Lake Eacham, Murramarang National Park)
• 2 international tours (Borneo, New Zealand - South Island)

Swing bridge in Borneo; Aoraki, Mount Cook, South Island, New Zealand

Reef, Heron Island

Riflebird, LAKE EACHAM, Image supplied by Damien Esquerre

Riflebird workshop with guest artist, Zoe Lawrence

Fungi in Tasmania; Kangaroos at Murramarang National Park; Images supplied by Julia Landford

Read the Blog — A Participants Experience of Murramarang Nature Tour

https://natureartlab.com.au/blogs/news/nature-immersion-at-murramarang-national-park-natureart-lab-nature-tour-april-2025-by-maureen-ritchie

Floriade Program:

14 public sessions including nature journalling, insects, botany, florals, and family workshop.

Floriade Events: Botany and Banksia with Alison Oberg, Art of the Iris with Xiaochen (Fiona) Bao, Tulips in Pastel with Caroline Reid, Create a visual diary with Julia Landford. Images supplied by Karen Holloway, Xiaochen (Fiona Bao), Caroline Reid, Julia Landford

From absolute beginners picking up a pencil for the first time, to experienced artists deepening their practice — it has been a joy to witness so many creative journeys unfold.

Exhibitions & Shared Stories

This year included some meaningful exhibition moments for NatureArt Lab, creating space to slow down, reflect, and share creative conversations with the wider community.

Resonance at Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG) was a special highlight, exploring how art can deepen our connection with the natural world. As part of the exhibition, CMAG hosted a World Environment Day panel talk – Exploring Biodiversity and Creativity with artist Karen Holloway, ecologist Rainer Rehwinkel, and NatureArt Lab Director Julia Landford, alongside a well-attended floor talk. Together, these events sparked thoughtful discussion on the relationship between art, science, and environmental care.

Resonance images supplied by Karen Holloway

We also celebrated our teaching community through See What I See, a tutors exhibition at M16 Artspace, presented as part of the 40th year celebrations. The exhibition showcased the diverse practices and perspectives of our tutors and honoured the depth of creative talent within our teaching team.

Both exhibitions reflected the heart of NatureArt Lab — curiosity, care, and connection through art — and we’re grateful to everyone who visited and supported these events.

You're Invited: Snakes Alive! | 12–18 January 2026

Participants in our recent Illustrating Reptiles Workshop with Zoe Lawrence will be showcasing their final illustrations at Snakes Alive at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. This popular event attracts thousands of visitors.

A big thank you to the Canberra Reptile Zoo for loaning snakes, giving participants the chance to observe and illustrate these amazing creatures up close.

Thanks to the ACT Herpetology Association (ACTHA), for the generous grant to NatureArt Lab for this workshop. 

Zoe Lawrence with snake on loan from the Canberra Reptile Zoo. Image supplied by Julia Landford

With Gratitude to Our Team

NatureArt Lab is truly a collective effort, and we’d like to extend sincere thanks to our volunteers:

• Lyn Rees, for managing our Membership program

• Ami Sangari, for leading and nurturing the Journal in the Field program

And of course, a huge thank you to our management team and inspiring teaching team, whose generosity, skill, and passion brought creativity to hundreds of people in Canberra and beyond.

Lyn Rees working on scratchboard, image supplied by Karen Holloway; Ami in the field, image supplied by Ami Sangari

Celebrating Together

 We gathered for a relaxed end-of-year team picnic on the Yacht Club lawns in Canberra. It was a beautiful way to mark the year — made even more special by the presence of partners, children, and family. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

This year we were delighted to welcome new tutors Caroline Reid and Xiaochen (Fiona) Bao to the NatureArt Lab teaching team. Both bring fresh perspectives, deep knowledge, and a generous approach to sharing their practice, enriching our program and learning community. We’re grateful for the creativity, care, and expertise they contribute, and we look forward to seeing their influence continue to grow through our classes and workshops.

Looking Ahead to the New Year

2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year at NatureArt Lab, with a growing program of new courses and workshops designed to spark curiosity, build skills, and deepen our connection with the natural world. Alongside much-loved favourites, we’re introducing fresh offerings including new printmaking and mixed media workshops, expanded nature journaling experiences, and specialist courses led by visiting and returning tutors.

We’re thrilled to welcome Ceilidh Dalton, Amber Ecclestone, Sharon Muir, and Dr Sharon Peoples to the NatureArt Lab teaching team. Together, they bring a rich mix of ecological knowledge, creative practice, and thoughtful teaching approaches that will shape new classes across drawing, painting, book arts, printmaking, and nature-based inquiry.

With new voices, new techniques, and new ways of seeing, we can’t wait to share what’s ahead — and to continue learning, making, and exploring with you in 2026.

Thank you for being part of our Community!

As the year comes to a close, we hope you find time to rest, reflect, and reconnect — with creativity, with nature, and with those close to you.

From all of us, thank you for your continued support. We wish you a peaceful Christmas and an inspiring New Year, and we look forward to another exciting chapter together in 2026.

—
Warm Wishes, the NatureArt Lab Team 🌿