Painting and Drawing Around the Pond

July 13, 2026

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• Adventures for Wilderness
• Protected Areas

Forgetmenot Pond is a place of beautiful blue waters surrounded by pine forests and towering mountains. At only a few meters walk to the water, it’s an easy site to access for anyone wanting to wander the forest, paddle on the lake, sit by the river, or have lunch at the picnic tables.

It was also a busy site. By 9 am, the parking lot was packed with cars, and we just managed to claim a table. Luckily, many of the participants had brought chairs, and we gathered in a loose circle as Barbara talked about painting en plein air.

Barbara Amos is an artist and an advocate for nature. She works across several mediums, although the focus of this adventure was on watercolor.

Barbara started by explaining composition, and leading us on a short walk along the trail. She pointed out the effect of light on colors, and talked about the need to finish a piece quickly, before the light changed. She discussed how she chose the brushes, papers and paints, then walked us through a quick painting of her own. Then, she invited us to work on our own projects.

Sitting between the pond and the river, a clear sky overhead and the occasional gust of wind keeping the heat and the bugs away, we did our best to capture the scene on paper.

After lunch, as the wind was picking up and papers started flying, we packed up. Some went with Barbara for a short hike, while others began to head home, taking with them a new way to see and enjoy nature.