A new class is inspiring a group of residents to explore the wild beauty of Roseville's Parks and then channel those observations and the emotions they evoke into works of art.
“Art Night in Nature” is offered at the Harriet Alexander Nature Center about one Saturday a month for adults interested in exploring their creative side.
The class is taught by mixed media artist and retired art teacher Sheila Elie, who now moonlights as a City of Roseville naturalist.
“You get to hike. You get to experiment, and you get to take home a piece of art. We provide everything you need, but students are welcome to bring their own additional materials.” Sheila said. “They also learn some new technical skills. I find that my adult students want to feel they’ve learned something, and they are leaving with a new skill.”
In one class, students used blades of grass, twigs, and leaves that they gathered on a hike as paintbrushes to create art.
During another class, the group drew inspiration from a sunset stroll through Central Park’s marshes and forests. Using basic watercolor techniques that they learned in that same class, students painted their own landscapes.
Students used paper, magazines, leaves, and other items found in nature to make collages. Another time, they created nature-inspired mandalas, which are geometric designs that can be calming to make and can hold symbolic meaning. In another class, they constructed art books.
“It’s a lot of folding and pasting. People really liked the art books because they get to take home something they’ve never done before,” she said.
Sheila taught Art for more than three decades in upstate New York, St. Paul and most recently in Stillwater. When she joined Harriet Alexander Nature Center in the Spring of 2024, her supervisor, Deon Haider, was thinking about new ways for residents to engage with the space.
“She sees what we are good at, and she channels it,” Sheila said.
Drawing on her teaching experience, Sheila helped shape a program that would bring art and nature together for the community. Art in Nature launched in the fall of 2024. 
"We have so many adult visitors who come to the Harriet Alexander Nature Center for relaxation and inspiration. As we continually evolve our programming to reach different audiences and interests, Art Night felt like a perfect fit,” Deon said.
To keep it flexible and low-pressure, students sign up for one session at a time. The sessions run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sheila also enjoys sharing with her students some of the techniques that she uses in her own art. 
“I am a mixed media artist. I use watercolor in my pieces. I use collage in my pieces. I also love creating handmade books and sculpting, as well,” Sheila said.
She finds that her students, many who are busy professionals and parents, appreciate the ability to simply show up, create and socialize.
“They appreciated having it all set up,” Sheila said.