Melinda Nakagawa's Nature Journal Studio is back! Bring your skethcbooks, and your curiosty and we'll explore the garden together. Register by going to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History website.

Melinda Nakagawa is a biologist, naturalist, and educator with a passion and skill for connecting people to nature. She founded Spark in Nature to guide participants to cultivate a deeper relationship with the natural world, slowing down to nature’s pace and seeing rather than just looking at the world.

With an approach that bridges nature, art, and heart, she welcomes  all people regardless of their skill level or background. Through  her gentle guidance, hundreds of participants have awakened their  spark of curiosity, sense of wonder, and connection to the natural  world.

Melinda has partnered with local institutions such as the  world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium and Pacific Grove Museum of Natural  History to lead educator trainings on nature journaling. She leads the  Monterey Bay Nature Journal Club’s free online Sunday sessions.

She has an M.S. degree in Marine Science, and has also worked as a  naturalist guide, floral designer, and wildlife rehabilitator. For the  past two decades Melinda has kept nature journals and continues to learn  more from nature with each journal she fills.