The Trailhead
Start here for all things Cricklewood Nature Journal.
Welcome, friend, to the trailhead of a glorious path filled with wonders.
You’ve arrived at a lovely little basecamp nestled in a forest hollow alive with the sound of songbirds joyfully flying from tree to tree, chipmunks rustling through the undergrowth, while the cadence of rushing water from a nearby creek provides percussion to nature’s wild song.
Use the link tree on the left side (on the website) to navigate the sections of this post.
The expedition…
When you subscribe to Cricklewood Nature Journal, you accept a position as artist-in-residence of this biosphere. As such, you embark on this trail with curiosity and wonder… and a backpack filled with art and writing materials! — but we’ll get to that momentarily.
Each of us walks the trail at an individual pace celebrating the natural world, connecting to it, and finding our place within it. The beauty is that you don’t have to go alone, and you don’t need to know the way.
I am with you wherever you are on the path to show you the skills you’ll need and to lend support. The Cricklewood community is with you, too, sharing their experiences and marveling over yours.
How it works…
Everyone gets
the monthly newsletter, Tiny Owl Dispatch, filled with musings, themes, and news, as well as;
a standing invitation to attend Wonder-Filled Wednesday, the weekly livestream, where we draw, paint, and nerd out over the natural world;
to participate in Cricklewood Camp, the virtual summer camp in the ‘Wood with prompts and projects.
Monthly/annual paid subscribers enjoy everything free subscribers receive above PLUS participate in:
Wonder-Filled Wednesday replays;
Fieldwork Friday, a bi-weekly supportive drawing and painting workshop presented as a livestream (with replays), well-thought out projects to help grow your skills, and nature-themed references;
The private chat with short tutorials, space to ask questions and get personalized help with your drawing and painting projects.
If you choose to walk the path as a Cricklewood Studio subscriber (Founders Level), you will have access to everything PLUS:
Guided nature-themed art projects in the winter, spring, and fall (quarters 1, 2, and 4) presented in bi-weekly livestreams with replays. Projects create an environment where you apply all your knowledge and skills from everything Cricklewood Nature Journal to support your creative expression of your experience in nature;
Exclusive “Office Hours” chat to ask questions, share progress, and cheer each other on.
Supplies to keep in your pack…
“The Cricklewood Kit”
This recent livestream will show you all the supplies I take with me “into the field.”
These are my recommendations of basic studio supplies for all Cricklewood activities.
Read this post for a deep dive into suggested colors for painting. Plus there’s a delightful Wonder-Filled Wednesday episode replay, turkey edition!
Schedule for 2026…
January-March — Theme: Backyard Birds
Wonder-Filled Wednesday: avian study pages (everyone)
Fieldwork Friday: composition & perspective — rounds out the Foundation Workshop (paid supporters)
Illustrated Broadsheet project (Cricklewood Studio supporters)
April-June — Theme: Animal/Vegetable/Mineral
Wonder-Filled Wednesday: animal/vegetable/mineral illustration demos (everyone)
Fieldwork Friday: visual research techniques, filling our mental image library, and building muscle memory (paid supporters)
Personalized Field Guide and Map project (Cricklewood Studio supporters)
July & August — Cricklewood Camp
Summer Camp, Cricklewood style! Weekly prompts sent to everyone, which augments the weekly Wonder-Filled Wednesday episodes.
Special content for paid supporters
Cricklewood Studio subscribers will use their new field journals and maps
September-December — Theme: Fall Migration
Wonder-Filled Wednesday: multi-reference illustration (everyone)
Fieldwork Friday: imaginative realism workshop (paid supporters)
Kamishibai project, a collection of illustrated pieces enclosed in a case (Cricklewood Studio supporters)
Subscribers say…
Hiya! I’m Susannah, your expedition guide.
I’m a realist painter of birds and a natural history illustrator.
Nature gives me a sense of belonging to something large, intricate, and purposeful. It gives me energy while keeping me calm and grounded (pun, absolutely intended!), which is what I want for you, too.
I’m on a mission to help others tap into their primal instinct to draw and paint nature because drawing is connection, and we could all use a bit of that these days.
So come to a few Wonder-Filled Wednesdays for a sense of what we do here in the ‘Wood, and then if it feels good subscribe to join the expedition.
I look forward to walking this path with you — we are going to have such adventures together!
xoSusannah