Oak Woodland Art Class by Kathleen Beck
In early August several middle school students attended a class in Conservation of the Oak Woodland through Art. We hiked into the nearby Preserves to find Oaks as models to draw in graphite and charcoal. There, we learned about what is happening with the bark beetle infestation and how planting new trees is one way to help with the problem of the disappearing oaks.
Another way to help is to preserve them through art. Volunteer artists Connie Newgard and James Lydick helped to instruct on contour, shape generation and overall composition of the trees. Future classes will be held to further the students understanding of both art and the Oak Woodland Community that graces our mountain.
If you are interested in participating in these ongoing classes contact Kathleen Beck: vmfeducation@volcanmt.org
“Three August Days in the Woods” by Connie Newgard
This was going to be something new and different. Monday morning in August on Volcan Mountain is cooler and crispy, the air being cooler than down in Ramona and the plants much crispier than the suppleness of January leaves. School still was not in session, yet we gathered to learn, and to teach something new and different as well as hearing repeated lessons concerning drawing from the out of doors. We met in the Santa Ysabel East parking lot, all three students and all three teachers. Smiles and drawing pads with pencils and charcoal and erasers; water bottles and backpacks; and goodbyes to Mom... this was all that was needed to send us off on the trail on an early morning excursion into the beautiful hillsides of Southern California.
Lizzie I like the hiking
Shannon I liked how I could express myself in my drawings any way I wanted to
