Hello, my name is Tyson and I am the founder of the Williamson County Nature Journaling Club. By day I am a civil engineer and work to make sure renewable energy facilities won’t flood and that their construction doesn’t harm the environment. I have been a nature lover all of my life, starting with snakes and insects before kindergarten, expanding to birds while in elementary school, and finally plants while in college. Growing up in the Dallas area and being active in Indian Guides and Boy Scouts, I became immersed in the various ecosystems in Texas and neighboring states.
Several years ago, while living in Houston I was gifted a vintage Audubon print from my aunt, and this spurred an interest in making my own nature art. I began by taking pictures of flora and fauna I encountered while jogging with my iPhone, then would attempt to paint what I had seen in watercolor. I joined an art club that met weekly called the Sunday Sketchers, and I found this immensely helpful with my new hobby. Unfortunately, I was let go from my job in Houston a few months after I joined the Sketchers and I decided to relocate to the Austin area in search of better opportunities. I ended up in Round Rock, where I continued making artwork with a somewhat less frequency than while I was in Houston. While looking for a reference book to help me with my artwork, I discovered the Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws. In addition to introducing me to the concept of nature journaling, it also taught me that a sketch can be just as valuable as a highly detailed illustration.
Prior to reading the Laws Guide, I always had the goal of making art in the same style as those made by professional natural history illustrators and was frustrated in this endeavor by my lack of skill and the time needed to create such intricate pieces. I found myself spending more time watching veteran artists making beautiful works on YouTube than I did actually making art. With nature journaling, the goal is not to make quality artwork, but, rather, capture information about an observation. In fact, nature journaling doesn’t require artwork at all, and text is a key part of a good journal entry. Still, I found it difficult to bring my sketchbook, pencil and watercolors outside to actually do nature journaling. Remembering my time in Houston, I realized I would practice nature journaling more regularly if there was a club that I could be part of. I joined the Good Water Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists and inquired if such a group existed in the area. I learned that while no group existed, there were several members who had an interest in nature journaling and I was encouraged to start a club within the chapter. Shortly after hosting our first outing, I received feedback that the club should be open to everyone, not just Texas Master Naturalists. I brought this up with the board of directors of the Good Water Chapter and they agreed that this was an excellent idea and gave me their blessing to open the club to all.