Connecting Through Creativity
Sharing How My Creative Practice Has Helped Me—and Others—Find Deeper Connections to Nature, plus a new way to support my creative work
Hey Changemakers,
Today I want to share more about the creative journey I’ve been on for the past 8 years through my work at Art Nature Place. It has been a meaningful part of my life that has helped me connect to nature, given me a space for artistic development, and created a unique opportunity for me be a part of the environmental movement by supporting access and connections to the outdoors.
I also want to share about a new way to support this work of mine through a new Bonfire store (more on that later in this post) — where, for the first time, my design work is more widely available outside of the projects that I have been working on in connection to learning and engagement materials.
My Creative Practice as Part of Being a Changemaker
I co-founded Art Nature Place with my spouse and partner Bryna Campbell (who explores some of these themes in her own Substack Slow Outdoors) back in 2016.
At that time, it was called Super Nature Adventures, and our primarily focus involved subscription packets for families with young kids to help them connect to the outdoors.
What began as a creative side project has since grown into a truly meaningful part of my personal and professional practice—an exploration of place, community, and the natural world.
From partnership projects that involve drawing dozens of iconic trees for Portland’s Hoyt Arboretum to celebrating the unique beauty of fall leaves or summer flowers in field guides and activity sheets for youth programs and school partnerships, these hand-drawn illustrations have always been my way of capturing the magic of the outdoors. Each drawing is a way to immerse myself in the landscapes around me, to understand them on a deeper level, and to share that connection with others.
Living and working in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve always been inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds us. And drawing has allowed me to look more closely and ignite a deeper sense of curiosity and wonder.
When I sketch the delicate pattern of a maiden hair fern or the curving lines of a massive Western redcedar stump, I’m not just capturing what I see—I’m forming a relationship with the place itself. The more I draw, the more connected I feel to the rhythms of the seasons, the patterns of the landscapes, and the incredible diversity of life that makes up our environment.
This connection to place has been such a guiding force in my professional life since moving to the Pacific Northwest.
Art Nature Place has always been about more than just creating maps and educational materials—it’s about helping people of all ages discover a sense of wonder and find their own connections with nature.
Through working with organizations like Hoyt Arboretum, Confluence, Forest Park Conservancy, Hope Dementia Support, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (among so many others), I have the privilege of using my creative skills to support projects that foster greater access to and deeper engagement with the outdoors.
As I reflect on this journey, one of the things I’m most grateful for is how this creative practice has become an integral part of my professional identity. It’s not just something I do on the side; it’s woven into everything I do including my role as a changemaker.
Whether I’m creating nature learning resources for Title I schools here in Portland; introducing birding to the public in NYC; creating student guides that center Indigenous ecology, culture, and art; or creating trail maps focused on accessibility - I’m constantly reminded of how creativity can build bridges between communities and place.
Supporting and Celebrating this Creative Work
I’m very excited to share that I’ve created an online store for many of these designs (through Bonfire) with my partner Bryna, where for the first time, some of my earliest illustrations are available on shirts, sweatshirts, and coffee mugs — all fun ways to celebrate the outdoors.
It’s a joy to see how these drawings, which once lived in my sketchbook, can now live in the world in new ways.
The illustrations we’ve added first represent our love for the fall season and first appeared in a series of booklets and guides we made for families with kids ages 3-8.
Each of these drawings holds special meaning to my creative journey. And I can’t wait to add more to this collection over the fall, winter, and spring.
And I just ordered a few of these myself, and can’t wait to cozy up in my own owl sweatshirt ; )
If you subscribe to newsletter and have been wanting to support my creative work and consulting but haven’t been able to join a workshop, exploring the Bonfire store and getting a gift for yourself or a loved one is a great (and fun!) way to do it.
I hope these bring you as much joy as they’ve brought me in creating them.
Ultimately, my journey has shown me how deeply art can foster connections—with the landscapes we love, with the communities we serve, and within ourselves.
For me, each drawing is a bridge that invites exploration and appreciation of the natural world, reminding us of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us. As I continue to create and share, I am excited to deepen these connections and inspire others to discover the joy that art, nature, and place have to offer.
