Jocelyn Catterson is an artist and educator. She was the CU Colorado Art Science Environment Fellow, 2022-23, at University of Colorado.
“Growing up in Colorado, I fell madly in love with the mountains. This passion has grown more intense with time and has come to include the desert, the plains, and the rivers, a passion for morning light and deep canyons, the smell of pine trees, and the beauty found in the tiniest insect or flower. Although art has always been a huge part of my life, I didn’t start drawing seriously until I used nature journaling with my students. Working on copying the patterns in the wings of moths on my porch solidified my style as an artist. I quickly realized I could copy the patterns I saw in everything around me. Because of my background in environmental education, my art is grounded in the place where I live. As an artist, I strive to share the natural and cultural beauty of this place with those around me.”
What are YOU noticing? Have any specific birds, plants, or insects caught your eye this season? What changes have you seen in the landscape you live in? Send your field notes or observations to jocelyncatterson@gmail.com or post to social media with #highdesertfieldnotes.
- Merlin Bird ID phone app: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org
This is an amazing app to help identify any bird you may see based on size, color, or even their songs/calls. - iNaturalist phone app: https://www.inaturalist.org
Not only does this app help you to identify species you find via photo, but you can also see what other people using the app have identified in your area. - John Muir Laws Naturalist Store: https://johnmuirlaws.com/store/
This website contains lots of great information on nature journaling as well as a webstore full of supplies to help you document what you see (including step-by-step drawing books). - Keeping a Nature Journal (book): https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/143262
Not only is this book absolutely beautiful, but it is a great resource for something interested in starting a nature journal. - Plants of the Rocky Mountains (book): https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1377383
This has been my go-to plant guidebook for almost 15 years now.