Creating and Maintaining a Perpetual Journal Practice
Discover the transformative practice of the perpetual journal—a forgiving, incremental approach to connecting with the natural world through drawing that builds year after year. Lara will present her latest book, A Perpetual Journal Practice, to help you get started. Over many consecutive years, your perpetual journal will become a rich record of nature discoveries, seasonal changes, and artistic growth—all achieved by adding small sketches at a reasonable pace that fits into even the busiest life. Whether you’re an artist, gardener, naturalist, or simply someone seeking a creative break from screens, the perpetual journal offers a living document that invites retrospection, fosters curiosity and wonder, and becomes a treasured record of both nature’s cycles and your own artistic development.
What to expect: An indoor talk and book signing. Bring your own copy of Gastinger’s book A Perpetual Journal Practice. Copies also available to purchase at the program.
Audience: This program is designed for adults, but teens welcome. Minors must be accompanied by a caregiver at all times. No pets, please.
Where to meet: The library at the Quarters building.
Speaker:
Lara Call Gastinger is an artist and botanical illustrator from Charlottesville, Virginia, and was the chief illustrator of Flora of Virginia, a botanical reference. She has an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in plant ecology from Virginia Tech. She has been awarded two gold medals (2007, 2018) at the Royal Horticultural Society Botanical Art Show in London and her work is in the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Her art appears in Peterson Field Guide to Mushrooms of North America and the American Society of Botanical Artists’ Botanical Art Techniques. She teaches online and in person (occasionally as a lecturer at UVA) and has traveled to Japan, Romania, and France to lead workshops. Gastinger is renowned on Instagram for teaching her perpetual journal process.
