Last night the moon was just past full, and a fox ran screaming through the undergrowth out back. My heart pounded as I stood outside listening, trying to catch a glimpse of this elusive creature. I heard it race down the hillside, and soon quiet returned—though my cat remained on high alert at the kitchen window.
For a few moments, focused on the fox, I forgot about everything else, how this feels like a moment of great change and instability for many people I know, and for the world at large. But that unsettled feeling also makes it a great time to welcome Roseann Hanson to Twig & Ink.
Roseann’s curiosity and dedication remind me that whether it’s at a large scale or small, for a short time or for an extended period, channeling my attention and exploring the natural world—which for me often means walking, writing, and drawing—can help displace the chaos (or lead me to discover a new way to embrace it!).
What feels like a meaningful way to channel your attention? What do you like to explore? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
Interview: Roseann Hanson
Welcome to Twig & Ink, Roseann! Could you tell us a bit about your work?
I describe myself as a curious human for whom exploration is a passion and vocation. I have worked around the globe as a conservationist, naturalist guide, artist, and writer for nearly 40 years. My husband and I have published many nature and outdoor adventure books, and we recently launched our own magazine, Exploration Quarterly. I am co-founder of the Wild Wonder Foundation, and one of the organizers of the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference. During COVID, I published my Nature Journaling for a Wild Life, an 8-week “workshop in a book,” and a year later, Master of Field Arts, a deep-dive into becoming a master naturalist and field artist.
What aspect of your work is most important to you?
I’ve been fortunate to live a life where all that I do is important to me—it really comes down to my passion for communicating nature’s stories, and how diverse the world is, and to encourage people to explore and to share what they learn through writing and sketching and journaling—and to fall in love with nature, and protect it.
How do science, art, and writing interact in your work?
My degrees are in journalism and ecology and evolutionary biology, and communicating science (nature) has been part of my life since the 1990s. I’ve kept journals since I was around 8 years old, and started adding serious field sketches about 10 years ago. Since then the art part has gained tremendous importance, since sketching something means you really, really study it. I call it “drawing to learn” and teach classes for people who think they can’t draw, encouraging them that drawing is not about art, it’s about learning intensely about the subject.
Is there a particular scientific or environmental problem that feels important to you? What do you do about that?
Everything is important since so much is connected—population growth globally needs to be controlled, and human health and food access issues addressed, before we can make significant inroads in wildlife conservation, for example. Global warming is of course the massive driver of much change, and addressing it is difficult for individuals, so I’d say becoming politically active and pushing for change is one of the most important things we can do. Not losing hope is also key—our mental health is also incredibly important.
What (and who!) influences and inspires you?
Nature and the vast treasures of our planet inspire me the most . . . and as for humans, I’m most inspired by and influenced by my husband, who is vastly talented (writer, photographer, auto mechanic, carpenter, gunsmith, leather worker, bicycle mechanic, kayaker . . . ) and who is empathetic and caring, and yet driven by a sense of justice and truth. He’s made me a better person, and still does. We’ve been married 40 years, this year.
Congratulations! Speaking of getting along well with other people, are you interested in collaborating on science-art-writing projects?
I’m always interested in collaborative projects! I work with the Royal Geographical Society and our Art of Exploration Collective to organize global art-and-science events such as the GeoARTBlitz every July; and I work with local organizations to integrate art and science into their programming. I always welcome new ideas, though I do tend to say “yes” too much and get a bit over-busy!
If you could live your life over again, would you do anything differently? (from Dr. Aaron M. Ellison, 018)
I love this question because I asked it to myself when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I would change nothing! I love my life, and don’t believe in saying things like “I wish I had . . .” We make our choices, then we live them and learn from them (there is no such thing as a mistake if you learn from it), and move on or forward, but we should never live backwards.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?
Always chase your dreams and don’t be afraid to fly—Jonathan and I have jumped off many scary cliffs together for 40 years and we’ve never yet crashed. If you want to do something, go for it.
I've had so many opportunities that were scary to jump at, but I am so glad I did because I have lived a totally non-traditional and non-linear life. We took non-paying jobs living on a very remote wildlife refuge as caretakers, which then lead to us running a guest ranch in one of the world’s most famous birding destinations. I've worked in Africa as a conservation program director; run several US non-profit conservation organization; explored six continents by overland travel, on our own; and founded an event that has become one of the biggest and most unique DIY adventure travel events in the world, with tens of thousands of attendees (sold right before COVID). We just founded our own magazine, with no support or backing. And now we’re in the midst of building a home (Jonathan is our builder), in a gorgeous wild place in southern Arizona, a dream come true. But it was hard work that got us there, not just dreaming. We took a leap and we’re flying.
Thanks so much, Roseann!
If you’d like to learn more about Roseann and her work, you can visit her website, follow her on Instagram or Facebook, or check out her YouTube channel.