Artists and art enthusiasts in Visakhapatnam explore the outdoors through Nature journaling

Soaking up the warm summer sun, listening to birds chirrup, observing the textures of tree barks – simple acts kept nature educator K Vimal Raj and a bunch of kids busy on a recent Tuesday morning near Madhurawada. They carried journals, pencils and coloured pencils as they ventured into the community garden and street lined with trees. According to Vimal, who works as a teacher in a Waldorf-inspired school, Nature journaling helps in bringing about empathy in children.

“Nature journaling is a way for the inner child to feel at home. The belongingness that a home brings is something that we are increasingly denying our children. In the pursuit of identifying and intellectually gaining knowledge of the world around us through screens and the internet, we fall short on the most important part of it all – to foster a meaningful emotional connection,” says Vimal.

A group of artists and Nature educators in Visakhapatnam have been actively participating in an initiative to observe International Nature Journaling Week, which is between June 1 and 7. The event, which originated in Australia, celebrates nature and brings together the worldwide community of journalers.

While many artists have been posting their Nature journaling entries for the week on social media, it is an exercise that goes beyond sketching and documenting. It is also about reconnecting with Nature.

For Vimal, who regularly conducts Nature walks for adults and children, the rustle of leaves and loud call of cicadas make him feel “at home”. He says, “We need a slow process of observing through all our senses and feeling the emotions that the experience evokes in us. Observing the colours, feeling the textures, the myriad smells and tastes and finally capturing that experience in the form of art, poetry and essays helps the child connect to the world, feel at home and in turn empathize with Nature and not think of himself as a separate entity but as part of Nature itself.”  

K Vimal Raj during a Nature walk with children
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Vimal’s style of Nature journaling is purely observing and feeling. “A lot of things in Nature also help introspection and throw light on your thought, mind and body and how everything is interconnected,” he says. From an ant mimicking a spider and jumping around the ornamental palm leaves to fruit bats flying over a lake near Sontyam, he has captured the common sights in his surroundings this week, giving them a fresh perspective.

Artist and illustrator Richa Kedia has been Nature journaling since 2020. At first, the wildlife illustrator’s form of journaling focussed on different types of birds. “I have always found birds fascinating, especially their courting and nesting behaviour,” she says. In the recent past, her subject of observation has changed. “Now I find the world of insects mysterious and find many things to discover about them. The more I observe the more curious I become and I get more drawn into nature,” she adds.

Richa, who has illustrated maps of the Kambalakonda wildlife sanctuary, Visakhapatnam zoo and the Eastern Ghats, has been capturing the sights and sounds of nature around her through this week by following the themes for each day during the Nature Journaling Week. The themes were based on senses – colour, texture, aroma, song, fragrance, movement and sound. “I went around on that day and recorded my observations around that day’s theme,” says the Delhi-based artist.

Richa Kedia’s works for nature journaling.
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Richa says there is a widespread misconception that one needs to travel to a forest to nature journal, which deters many people. “You are lucky if you have access to a forest but if not, simply observe whatever green space you have around you. Most of my observations are at my house garden or the park around my house. I feel at the places one frequents, one is more observant rather than the places you are visiting for the first time,” she states.

Richa’s work often depicts her love for flowering trees. “I paint in watercolour, and write all my observations and questions, along with the date and location in pen. I try to be as regular as possible but of course it is difficult at times,” she says.

Having an art background is not a prerequisite. For Preethi Gajula Sangita, it was a love for nature that drew her towards this. “I love all shades of green, blue and brown. Sunsets and sunrises inspire me. The play of light and shadow on leaves, flowers fascinates me,” says Preethi, who started the group Vizag Sketchers to bring together art lovers of Visakhapatnam. Preethi’s style is realistic where she tries to recreate the colours and the patterns of nature as closely as possible. 

Preethi Gajula Sangita’s nature journaling in Visakhapatnam.
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“This week we were at Mudasarlova Park adjacent to the reservoir. The park has a beautiful mix of old man-made structures and an abundance of trees and plants,” she says, adding “The cottages are being engulfed by trees and plants there; it’s like nature is trying to reclaim everything there. We had a wonderful time capturing all that on paper.”