PARK WATCH Article March 2025 |

Kate Carrillo’s painting and sketching in nature was transformed by a Nature Stewards course

I have been painting in oils for eight years, embracing the challenge of outdoor painting and sketching. I work mainly around the Mornington Peninsula but also in the Grampians, Horsham and Lord Howe Island. While exploring my local national parks a couple of years ago, I realised I knew little about the vegetation and biodiversity I was observing and I felt like this was holding my painting back. As if by magic, a few days later, I saw an ad for a Nature Stewards course and I eagerly signed up!

From the start, I felt at home among like-minded, friendly people. It’s a fantastic program, not only for learning but also for making meaningful connections.

My favourite sections of the course were the field trips, being guided by experienced tutors who took us back into the landscapes I love to paint and answering many of my questions! My curiosity was sparked by the tiny worlds of mosses, fungi, orchids, invertebrates and shellfish, while my passion for trees remains as strong as ever.

Nature Stewards has transformed my painting. It’s given me purpose and direction, helping me find my voice and the emotion I want to express in my landscapes. I now strive to capture the presence I feel in the bush; the stillness, energy and colour.

Painting allows me to pour my love for these wild spaces onto canvas. The experience of being immersed in nature, surrounded by its sounds and scents, fuels my creativity and strengthens my sense of self and well-being.

I’m passionate about stepping away from technology and embracing the outdoors. Nature is here to heal us, offer perspective, and remind us that we’re deeply connected to it. As Andy Goldsworthy says, ‘When we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we have lost our connection to ourselves.’

I hope my art keeps me grounded and provides others with a sense of inspiration, peace and belonging.