LA GRANDE — If you’re an adult who loves wild botanicals and art, then you’ll enjoy an art class fundraiser called Wild School for Adults, where participants create five beautiful cyanotype botanical prints that they can take home with them.

“The $45 class fee will go to support more outdoor youth classes hosted by Blue Mountain Conservancy, a 501c3 nonprofit organization,” said Meghan Ballard, board chair of the conservancy.

The outdoor art and science classes for youth are taught by Ballard and Amanda Welch. They teach a Wild School Preschool (ages 0-5); Wild School Elementary (ages 6-12) and Teen Wild School (ages 12-15).

“Those three age groups have monthly classes,” Ballard said.

Currently, funding is only provided for K-8 grades, she said, so Wild School for Adults was created as a fundraiser to support more preschool classes.

This is the first time that Blue Mountain Conservancy has offered Wild School for Adults.

The class will be held in a toasty-warm yurt on Jan. 11, 1-3 p.m. at the Heritage Pond Education Center (formerly called Pete’s Pond), a Blue Mountains Conservancy property, located at 913 S. Miller Drive in La Grande.

“It’s easy to find. There is good signage there saying Blue Mountains Conservancy,” Ballard said.

At Wild School for Adults, attendees will learn about cyanotypes, which is a kind of camera-less photography process. Adults attending will learn its history and about photographer/botanist Anna Atkins, who popularized the process with her 1843 book titled, “Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions.”

Attendees will learn about native plants and how to make beautiful botanical prints.

They will also make and enjoy some elderberry tea.

Register

For those interested in attending, visit www.bluemountainsconservancy.org and click on Heritage Pond Classes. Click on the calendar’s event date and you can pre-register and pay the class fee of $45. Class size is limited to 10 adults.

Attendees are asked to arrive 10 minutes early to get settled in before class begins promptly at 1 p.m.

All supplies and the pressed botanicals are provided at the class. Parking is available on the street and near the portable toilet for ADA parking. Dress warmly if you want to tour the property or drink your tea at the outdoor picnic tables.

Ballard has a background in science and environmental education. Welch is an art teacher at Stella Mayfield Elementary School in Elgin.

About the conservancy

The Blue Mountains Conservancy developed a new vision and mission in 2022.

The vision focuses on “a healthy ecosystem at Heritage Pond Education Center, End Creek Wetland and Elkhorn Property that provides wildlife habitat, educational opportunities and a local place for the community to connect to nature.”

The mission aims to enhance and conserve those three properties.

For more information, visit www.bluemountainsconservancy.org or call Ballard at 503-708-4264.

Wild School

The Wild School fundraiser on Jan. 11 will support classes for children in the upcoming months. Youth classes are free, but registration is required. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/ystdxevc.

Here’s a look at the schedule:

Jan. 3, 1-3 p.m., Teen Wild School for ages 11-15

Jan. 11, 1-3 p.m., Adult Wild School, cyanotypes (fundraiser)

Jan. 25, 10 a.m.-noon, Wild School for ages 6-12

Jan. 31, 10-11 a.m., Wild Preschool for ages 0-5

Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-noon, Wild School for ages 6-12

Feb. 28, 10-11 a.m., Wild Preschool for ages 0-5