Mohonk Preserve Auction

Although, I did not attend the Mohonk Preserve's Annual Auction, I was sent photos of my work being a hit at the Silent Auction. I am thrilled that there were several bids on my drawing! And the winner was one of my volunteers from the Daniel Smiley Research Center! I am super glad it is going to a home that I know appreciates art and will take care of it!

theChristyBel

The Spring Peeper

On Display with My Biography at the Auction
Photo Credit: Wendy Toman

Leaving Footprints

"Footprints" Found at the Reservoir
You Can Learn A Lot About What You Observe & See
Can You Guess Who's They Are?

My Favorite Sky Lake

Went to Mohonk Lake with Amanda today. As we chatted, sunbathed, and tanned, I took a closer look at the sand and discovered the true colors of this place I have come to love. Mohonk Lake is just beautiful. They call Mohonk Lake a sky lake. It was created by a glacier and was filled with the melt. The water is clear, clean, and wonderful to swim in. There is so much wildlife in this lake too. Even though the lake is fully sky fed (rain and snowmelt), there is so much wildlife. Fish, newts, frogs, snakes, insects, beaver! And the colors....can you paint with all the colors of Mohonk Lake?!? hehe.

TheChristyBel

The Colors of Mohonk Lake

This time of year, the male Sunfish, will excavate a bowl in the sand to attract a female.

He's Looking for a Lady,
He's Looking for some Love.

Bird Housing

I love when Marc and I have craft nights. The other night, Marc and I went to Michaels and picked up some cheap paint and a few bird houses. We not only wanted to craft, but wanted to bring some color to our back and front yards; maybe even some wildlife. Check out what we made!

Marc's Bird Home
I love having a creative boyfriend!

And Mine
Of course, there was patterns and purple!

New Nature Art for My Walls

Finishing up an art project I've had on the backburner from my time in Laramie. As spring approaches, I need to make room in my plant press for some blooms found in the Gunks. That meant, doing something with the hundred of Quaking Aspen leaves. This is what I did.

TheChristyBel

Expressions in Nature & Art

Hiking On Up Lobo Hill

Hanging in Hammocks at the Art Fair

For the past twenty days, my main attention has been focused on 16-high school students from all over the country and the globe! Our program, eXpressions in Nature and Art used experiences in nature to build identity and relationships through creative expression informed by science and the natural world. Many of these students that I had the honor of teaching for the past three weeks were incredibly talented (not just artistically, but intellectually, emotionally, athletically, and so on). The one thing I admired through this program was the diversity and richness of types of individuals coming into this program. We had individuals that were here on scholarship to individuals that had family in the GYE and were here on vacation. There were students that did not speak English as their primary language to individuals that did not speak Spanish. Some students were not even interested in art, but applied for this course anyway. The list of unique characteristics and qualities of our students goes on and on. 

High school can be one challenging age groups for educators, and well for other high schoolers. These students definitely challenged us as their friends, their instructors, their role models, and their guides through not just program time and lessons, but on real-life/world scenarios and topics. It definitely reminded me of my time working with my summer counselors back at the Delaware Nature Society. You are pushed in two different directions: one - where you are their adviser, their manager, their boss and two - where you want to be their friend and earn their respect. That battle was constantly challenged and trailed through the program. You learn to know boundaries, communicate clearly, and set expectations in the proper way, but still earn that respect and 'friend' level with your students.

Oh, Helium Stick...

The first few days were challenging: trying to get them out of their comfort zones, getting them to open up, making new friendships, and exploring and getting used to their new home for the next 20-days. Through team-builders, activities, and hikes around the GYE, our students were slowly getting used to this new program, this new place, to each other, and to their instructors. And well...so were the instructors!

Everyday, as we explored the Tetons and the GYE, we incorporated a variety of artistic mediums for them to express what they had learned, their feelings, their experiences, their emotions, everything. From drawing, to natural plant dyes, to poetry, to storytelling, they were able to challenge themselves and find their creative inner artist - whether they knew they had one or not.

Intermixed with the art, we took them backcountry camping, rafting, canoeing, front country camping, hiking, and so on!

Soaking in the Creek After Lots of Hiking

Canoeing at String Lake

Cooking Plants to Make Natural Dyes

Evening Program in the Tent

Escaping the Mosquitos

Sand Hill Cranes Out of Natural Materials

Carrying Out the Huge Mosquito Tent

Liam Teaching About Mountaineering and Mountain Men of the Tetons

Look at Our View!

Team Fancy Pants Backcountry Instructors!