This journal chronicles the two weeks I spent at the Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest, Illinois in October 2009. It records the plants and animals I encountered on my walks, and my ideas, thoughts, and inspirations from my reading and observing during this time. 

Hand-drawn and painted images and text, molding paste and acrylic-painted cover, and codex structure. Text by Julie Wagner, with quotes from Basia Irland, Willa Cather, Michael Collier and others. All images by Julie Wagner

 

After earning a BA in Studio Art from Oberlin College and an MFA in Sculpture from RISD, Julie Wagner worked in New York City for 5 years and then moved to rural northern New Mexico. Her work is in private and public collections in the US and Europe.