Nature Explorer: Get Outside, Observe, and Discover the Natural World (Jenny Geuder Art) - Hardcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Jenny deFouw Geuder is an artist and educator from Michigan. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Art Education (and she minored in English). She has always loved nature and being outdoors. She especially loves gardening and hiking and, over time, began sketching the objects she discovered outside. She bought a bird feeder, and she was charmed by the many visitors. That one bird feeder grew to two, four, and now about eight—along with multiple bird baths! As she immersed herself in bird watching, she started fine-tuning her garden by introducing native plants that benefited birds and other wildlife.

By day, Jenny has taught art at the middle-school level for 16 years. Each year, she includes an art lesson and project based on the famous prints of John James Audubon. Jenny emulated this work at home, and she began painting her backyard finds, everything from leaves and flowers to birds. This soon became one of her favorite pastimes. She loves observing, and she found herself constantly learning more about the subjects of her paintings. To record those discoveries, she started taking notes about her observations. That process led naturally to her debut book, Drawn to Birds. She has continued her own artistic interests in commissioned work and personal topics. She primarily works in watercolor, but she also enjoys oils, ceramics, and graphite.

Artists are professional observers, who tend to see things in a different way, by focusing on colors and shapes, textures or lines. But a person doesn’t need to be a professionally trained artist to observe like one, or to make their own art. In fact, if her book projects have taught Jenny anything, it’s that naturalists are a lot like artists in that they look more closely at the world and recognize all of the diversity that nature has to offer.

Jenny lives in the country with her husband, two small boys, a dog, five cats, a hedgehog, chickens, and occasionally two ponies. She spends most of her summers at a rustic log cabin on a lake in northern Michigan, where she hikes, fishes, and enjoys the natural beauty of the area.

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Habitats

Another way to get to know the nature near you is to learn about all the various types of habitats that exist. From a backyard and local green spaces to something as simple as an empty lot, nature is everywhere! Of course, you should be familiar with the potentially dangerous critters in your area before you go out exploring.

Backyards

A backyard is a great place to start exploring nature! Grab your binoculars and spend some time learning about what creatures call your backyard home. You might see goldfinches, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, robins, or hummingbirds, especially if you put up bird feeders. Squirrels, chipmunks, and even skunks and raccoons don’t mind living near homes. But look closer to see the butterflies and bees coming to your flowers, the tiny beetles, pillbugs, and snails living in a little world right outside your door.

Wetlands, Rivers, and Lakes

Many different animals are drawn to water. Herons, plover, loons, ducks, eagles, and kingfishers can be found living near the water’s edge. You might be lucky enough to see a watersnake, a turtle, a newt or salamander, a beaver or muskrat, or even an alligator if you’re in the southern U.S. Look for the unique water-loving insects too: dragonflies, whirligigs, and water skaters.

Empty Lots

At first glance, you might not think to find nature in that empty lot near your home, but look again! Wild things can live in all sorts of places, even in heavily developed urban areas. Pigeons, Blue Jays, raccoons, rabbits, and squirrels are everywhere, but also look for butterflies and bees, beetles, and ants. Many major cities are now home to Peregrine Falcons as well! Weeds and wildflowers are also quick to grow wherever there is space too!

Parks

Parks contain a lot of biodiversity (that means a wide range of animals, plants, and other life)! Spend some time walking around the trails at your local park and see who lives there. You might see Red-Shouldered Hawks, woodpeckers, Barred Owls, herons, deer, skunk, and bats! Turtles, snakes, and a whole bunch of other creatures and bugs can sometimes be found at your local park.

Forests

Woodland creatures like the shelter and safety that trees provide, and they often tend to be skittish and run away when spooked. Spend some time sitting quietly to see more! Animals such as porcupines, opossums, White-Tailed Deer, foxes, rabbits, chipmunks and squirrels all call the forest their home. Some birds that love the forest are woodpeckers, owls, nuthatches, flickers, and chickadees. You also might see pine, maple, beech, and oak trees, as well as neat plants like bracken ferns.

Deserts and Dry Areas

Finding and using water is the top priority in desert areas. Many of the plants and animals have specific adaptations that help them survive. That’s why you’ll find unique plants like cacti, the yucca, sagebrush, saltbush, and wildflowers such as penstemon, a hummingbird favorite. Animals that you might spot include prairie dogs, Bighorn Sheep, jackrabbits, roadrunners, and even critters such as rattlesnakes, scorpions, Gila Monsters, and Javelinas. To stay safe, avoid putting your hands where you can’t see, keep your distance from potentially dangerous critters, and don’t pick up wild animals. Instead, enjoy a sighting, from a distance!