Detail of a feather.
© Maryjo Koch
Painting Bird Nests: A Two-Day Workshop with Maryjo Koch
Birds' nests spark curiosity and joy, especially when encountered during outings to the natural world as we pursue our work as botanical artists.
In this two-day workshop, Maryjo Koch will guide us in a study that is off the beaten track for many botanical artists. She will demonstrate her techniques for painting in watercolors and gouache as she talks through a detailed exploration of the subject matter. We'll use our observational skills to parse a bird's nest, identifying twigs, grasses, weeds, leaves and other found (or stolen!) pieces in the loosely woven structure. Inside the nest, we'll examine the soft materials that form a cushioning cradle for a single unhatched egg. By the end of the second session, each painter will be on the way to finishing their own enchanting work of art.
You will receive photographic reference provided by Maryjo Koch for this workshop's subject, and will be asked to prepare a drawing and transfer it to your chosen paper ahead of class. During the two days of instructed workshop time, you may work with your usual watercolors and gouache paints to complete your painting. Please review the materials list (click here to download the PDF) to see what you will need to bring to class.
© Maryjo Koch. American Goldfinch Nest. Watercolor and gouache.
Information at a Glance
DATE:
PLEASE NOTE: This is a TWO-DAY ONLINE workshop.
Tuesday and Wednesday, April 28-29, 2026
10:00 am – 1:00 pm Pacific Time
Location:
Online via Zoom
FEE:
Free of charge, BAGSC members ONLY!!
BAGSC members must log-in to the BAGSC website to register. Questions or problems? Contact the BAGSC Media Committee by clicking here.
SCHEDULE: (all Pacific Time)
9:45 am, Zoom room will open for set-up. Bring your own refreshments; we'll be working through 1 pm with just a short bio break.
10:00 am to 1 pm: Workshop with live demonstration by Maryjo Koch. A team from BAGSC will be on hand to field queries through Zoom's chat while Maryjo Koch demonstrates and responds to questions.
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Download a materials list here.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM?
Contact BAGSC Programs Committee by clicking here.
PROBLEMS WITH REGISTRATION?
Contact BAGSC Media Committee by clicking here.
Register for April 28 only. You will be automatically registered for both days.
About our Presenter
Working from her studio in Northern California's Santa Cruz Mountains, Maryjo Koch is widely regarded among the world's most accomplished naturalist painters. Largely self-taught, Maryjo began her career doing renderings as an environmental designer,
but soon returned to her childhood fascination with the world of nature.
Maryjo is an artist whose work combines authority and enchantment, and her paintings and private commissions are featured in galleries and museums from North America to Asia. She has illustrated 25 books that are treasured and collected by people all around the world.
Maryjo began teaching nature painting at both the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and at Monterey's renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium… as well as Filoli and the CSU Monterey Bay's scientific Illustration graduate program. She now conducts online workshops at her studio in the Santa Cruz Mountains by Zoom, Patreon, YouTube.
Maryjo’s artistic life has been featured in publications such as Victoria Magazine, Country Living Gardener, & Better Homes and Gardens.
