For the past month I’ve been busy drawing and painting at the High Park Nature Centre. The plan is to use the artwork for fundraising merchandise like greeting cards, with the possibly of art-prints in the future. Some of the images will hopefully be useful in a teaching capacity, like this recent drawing I made of Sassafras leaves collected from nearby trees.

Inside the classroom they’ve got a cabinet filled with skulls, insects, feathers and nests, all wonderful subjects to investigate and sketch. The Centre also has a number of live inhabitants including Houdini, their resident turtle who’s incredibly popular with visitors, both young and old. He’s also the most active turtle I’ve ever met which made him a fun challenge to draw.

I’ve also observed the team running the Centre, and it’s clear they’re passionate about educating the public on all the wonders of High Park’s ecology. Whether it’s meeting a salamander for the first-time or learning how a seed travels, it never grows tiring to see children bursting with enthusiasm as they connect to nature through the Centre’s immersive programming.

I strongly suggest a visit to the High Park Nature Centre. It’s the gem of the High Park community.

To discover the latest news and events taking place, click here: High Park Nature Centre