Derrick Z. Jackson, national award-winning journalist, author, and photographer; co-author, with Stephen Kress, of Project Puffin and The Puffin Plan
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, poet, essayist, and author of World of Wonders and Bite by Bite
Stephen Kress, Ph.D, ornithologist, founder of Project Puffin, and co-author of Project Puffin and The Puffin Plan (photo by Bill Scholtz)
Jean Mackay, artist and author of The Nature Explorer's Sketchbook
Susan Schubel, aka "Seabird Sue," artist, biologist, builder, teacher, and longtime staff member of the Hog Island Audubon Camp and Project Puffin
Tony Foster, British artist and conservationist
Sefi George, Mumbai-based illustrator and social anthropologist
Mike Rohde, designer and author of The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook
Sushma Hegde, artist, educator, and best-selling author of Wildflower Watercolor.
John Muir Laws, author, educator, artist, and principal innovator of the global nature journaling movement
Rosalie Haizlett, nature illustrator, teacher, and author of Watercolor in Nature
Amy Tan, bestselling author, avid birder, artist, and nature journaler
Join Us for the Sixth Annual Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference: Online Sept 18-22. Early Bird Passes On Sale Now!
The Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference–the largest international event of its kind–is an annual event that gathers people who are passionate about nature, art, science, curiosity, and wonder to share ideas, learn from each other, support each other, inspire each other, and have fun together in nature’s beauty.
Sharpen your pencils! The 2024 online event will include more than 25 classes, panels, lectures, nature journaling challenges, daily poems, and social time over 5 full days. You can look forward to learning from more than 30 teachers, journalers, writers, artists, authors, and thought leaders in nature, nature journaling, nature writing, visual thinking, and conservation.
Confirmed 2024 teachers and speakers include:
Tony Foster, British artist and conservationist
Sefi George, a Mumbai-based illustrator and social anthropologist by training
Roseann Hanson, naturalist, explorer, educator, and author of several books including Nature Journaling for a Wild Life.
Rosalie Haizlett, artist, educator, and author/illustrator of Watercolor in Nature and the forthcoming Tiny Worlds of the Appalachian Mountains (September 2024).
Sushma Hegde, artist, educator, and best-selling author of Wildflower Watercolor.
Derrick Z. Jackson, national award-winning journalist, author, and photographer who covers social justice and the environment. He is co-author, with Stephen Kress, of Project Puffin and The Puffin Plan.
Nishant Jain, a (sneaky) artist and writer in Vancouver Canada, secretly drawing art of city life while sitting in public spaces.
Stephen Kress, Ph.D., ornithologist, founder of Project Puffin, and co-author of Project Puffin: The Improbable Quest to Bring A Beloved Seabird Back to Egg Rock and The Puffin Plan.
John Muir Laws, award-winning artist, educator, scientist, and author of the Laws Guide to Drawing and Nature Journaling.
Jean Mackay, artist, educator, and author/illustrator of The Nature Explorer’s Sketchbook.
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, poet, essayist, and author of The World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments and Bite By Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees.
Mike Rohde, designer and author of The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook.
Amy Tan is a bestselling author, avid birder, artist, and nature journaler. Her latest book is The Backyard Bird Chronicles (Knopf, 2024).
We will update this page with more teachers/speakers after 5/10/24.
SCHEDULE: A detailed class schedule will be available later this year. The event runs from 8am-9pm Pacific time daily, with five classes per day plus a keynote talk. This year’s schedule will look very much like the 2023 schedule that you can see here—it is truly a “firehose of awesomeness,” as one attendee called it.
“My start in nature journaling and drawing came through workshops with John Muir Laws, president of the Wild Wonder Foundation. I not only learned to draw, I discovered I could live more deeply in the moment, with curiosity, awe, and gratitude. It was restorative in a time of turmoil. I hope you can join me and share the joy.”
—Amy Tan, avid nature journaler, birder, bird artist, bestselling author, and speaker at our 2024 Conference
DETAILS: Live Passes and Video Passes
Save $30! Early Bird Live Pass Pricing available through July 1.
Tiered ticket pricing: Our community is built on trust and love, and we want to make this event as accessible as possible. When you choose to register at the Pay It Forward price, you are enabling someone else to attend who may not have the financial means. Thank you.
ALL LIVE PASSES enable you to register for the 30 classes, demos, panels, and keynotes offered; participate in daily challenges with prizes; and attend the online live social gatherings, backstage passes, and office hours, where you can interact with participating teachers and other attendees. All Live Passes also include access to all of the recordings after the event until April 30, 2025.
PAY IT FORWARD LIVE PASS: $295 — This is a special LIVE PASS that includes a $100 tax-deductible donation to support scholarships. This pass ALSO includes special donor gifts—such as a limited-edition Wild Wonder 2024 Conference Pencil Pouch ($35 value, featuring a print of original Atlantic Puffin art by John Muir Laws), and other goodies, including paint sample dot cards from Daniel Smith and QoR Watercolor, nature journaling tools, and more! NOTE: Shipping to addresses in the US is included. Those outside the US may order but must also pay additional shipping charge. NOTE: Donor gifts will be mailed after the conference and by October 30. This pass costs less than $10 per class/talk.
EARLY BIRD LIVE PASS PLUS $30 DONATION: (available through July 1) — $165 — This Early Bird discounted Live Pass includes a $30 donation to support scholarships. This pass costs $5.50 per class/talk.
EARLY BIRD LIVE PASS: (available through July 1) — $135 — This is an Early Bird discounted Live Pass. This pass costs $4.50 per class/talk.
REGULAR LIVE PASS PLUS DONATION: (available after July 1) — $215 — This Live Pass includes a $50 donation to support scholarships. This pass costs about $7 per class/talk.
REGULAR LIVE PASS PLUS DONATION: (available after July 1) — $185 — This Live Pass includes a $20 donation to support scholarships. This pass costs about $6 per class/talk.
REGULAR LIVE PASS: (available after July 1) — $165 — This is the regular Live Pass. This pass costs $5.50 per class/talk.
REGULAR VIDEO PASS: $95 — Video Pass holders will receive an invitation by October 5 to watch the class videos after the live event ends. Video Pass holders do not have access to any of the live events, social gatherings, or office hours. This pass costs less than $3.50 per class/talk.
Registration Tips: You can only purchase one pass per order and per email address (as your access to the event is linked to a specific email). All programs will be held online through the Sched.com interface, which will be set up as a virtual conference center. Two weeks prior to the event, you will receive information on how to log in.
SCHOLARSHIPS: We are committed to inclusiveness, respect, and equal opportunity for everyone as we nurture and celebrate a diverse, global community of nature journalers. We strive to make events and resources free and/or low cost, and we offer scholarships for those who face economic barriers, underrepresentation, and/or historic marginalization. Thanks to many generous donors, we have full and partial scholarships available for this event. Application available here.
Refunds: We are not able to offer refunds. There are no exceptions.
Questions? First, please review our Frequently Asked Questions. If your question is not addressed there, please email us and we will help you within 3 business days. We are a very small team and we appreciate your kindness, patience, and understanding.
Check Out Our Wild Wonder Reviews!
Each year, we gather ratings and feedback on the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference, and attendees rave about this event. Here are a few of the many glowing reviews:
“These classes made a huge difference in the way I see the natural world.”
“Thank you to all the folks that made this the Wildest, most Wondrous Nature Journaling Conference EVER! Wow, wow, wow! What a fantastic job you’ve all done!”
“These classes have enriched my life beyond measure!"
“I took all the classes and enjoyed every minute. Because it is online, the carbon footprint and use of resources for this conference was very low, and I appreciate that for all the reasons.”
“This conference was beyond wonderful. I was so impressed by the speakers, and I learned so much about so many different aspects of journaling in nature.”
“I just want to express tremendous gratitude for all who made this conference spectacular! Every presenter was extraordinary, the spirit was of the highest, logistics perfect (that alone is amazing). I leave wonderfully energized, motivated, happy, and in awe.”
Apply to Teach at Wild Wonder 2024
Would you like to share your passion and expertise with the nature journaling community? Do you have experience teaching online? You are invited to apply to teach at our 2024 event. Teachers receive a payment plus free attendance to the conference and access to the conference recordings through April 30, 2025.
Teacher applications are closed (they were due March 25). We will notify all applicants by May 1 or sooner.
WHY TEACH AT WILD WONDER?
"I’ve been an instructor at the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference since its beginning, in 2019, and I so appreciate the opportunity the event provides me to not only teach what I love, but to connect with thousands of nature journalers around the world. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from journalers who found me through the conference, and are now loyal customers. It’s a win-win relationship I deeply value!"
—ROSEANN HANSON
Atlantic Puffin page by John Muir Laws
Apply to Volunteer at Wild Wonder 2024
Are you a Zoom-savvy journaler who would like to become part of our volunteer team? We are now taking applications for volunteer moderators to help us run the 30+ sessions during the conference. You will be required to volunteer for three sessions and attend our volunteer training program. Volunteers will receive free attendance to the conference and your volunteer pass will also include access to the conference recordings through April 30, 2025.
Applications are due by June 30, and we will notify all applicants in mid-July.
2024 Wild Wonder Auction
Our 2024 Wild Wonder Auction, which will open in September, will feature numerous fantastic donated items such as art originals and prints, art and journaling supplies, binoculars, books, classes, and more. We even plan to have several exclusive items such as a private journaling trip with John Muir Laws!
Would you like to donate something to our auction? Please email us about it!
Thank you to our 2024 Wild Wonder Partner and Sponsors
We are grateful for the generous support of our Partner and Sponsors, which helps make this event possible. We welcome additional sponsors. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please email us at wildwonderconf@gmail.com.
Partner
The Foster Museum: The mission of The Foster Museum is to unite and celebrate artist-explorer Tony Foster’s watercolor wilderness Journeys and inspire connection to art and the natural world.
Sponsors
Thank you to our Wild Wonder 2024 Planning Team!
John Muir Laws, Creative Director
Beth Kelley Gillogly, Founding Director, Marketing Director
Roseann Hanson, Logistics Director
Anne Marie Bergen, Auction Manager
Learn about the history of the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference here.