Experience
Experience content
During the visit with the Secretary-General and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, they shared with us the difference between the activities of the Society of Wilderness and other environmental organizations, that the activities held in the Wilderness are to bring people back to nature, and nature will move him, rather than through the narrator, and the wilderness feels that the power of nature will be more important and richer than that of human beings. So we decided to participate in the experience and experience the power of nature, and finally, after discussing with the Secretary-General, we decided to choose the activity “2024 Eco Taipei ~ Taipei Cityscape Day X Sketch Walk”. This activity is especially organized by The Society of Wilderness and Sketch Taipei, where the wilderness will conduct a guided tour of the city so that the participants can experience the beauty of nature, and cooperate with the open sketching time in the alleys in the middle to allow the participants to record what they see with a brush, integrating nature with the historic Jinhua Street and Qingtian Street on paper. In this way, we can not only observe the details of the environment more deeply but also express our feelings about nature through art. In the course of the activity, the wilderness guide did not introduce us to the traditional way of explanation but guided us to feel the changes of plants and ecology in person, so that everyone can understand the environment through their own experience.
▲ After the event, everyone shared their work and what they had gained.
During the process, two teachers directly demonstrated their shorthand sketches on the spot to the audience, and they were able to complete a perfect piece of work in just a short period of time, which made us deeply realize the importance of professionalism and experience. Their strokes were smooth and confident, and each stroke was just right, as if the picture had already been formed in their minds. We were amazed by their skills and realized that it takes a long time of practice and accumulation to reach such a level.
After seeing the teachers’ demonstrations, we couldn’t help but pick up our pens and try our hand at it, hoping to learn from their way of observation and compositional skills, but sure enough, our works were still too young compared to the teachers’.
The teacher demonstrated quick sketching on the spot
The teacher showcased the results of the quick sketching
Environment Introduction:
This is the most humanistic and natural area in Taipei, and we will embark on a study journey that combines ecology, history and humanities, urban observation, and life records. Jinhua Street is famous for its old Japanese-style houses and Taiwanese literati residences, and along the way, we will not only listen to the guided tour, but also learn about the history and characteristics of the place, and we also pass by Qingtian Street, which was once the residence of high-ranking officials in the Japanese era. Today, it is home to cultural bookstores, cafes, and art spaces. In addition to listening to the commentary of the guide on the streets, we also went into the alleys and alleys to record the stories and scenery of the place in sketches and experienced the unique charm of the interweaving of the present and the past.
Lessons Learned from the Experience
Harry Wang
Participating in this event deeply allowed me to experience the emotions mentioned by the chairman and the secretary-general, that the Society of Wildnesss brings everyone into nature. Although I’ve walked this route many times before, it was through the guide’s introduction that I learned about the history and development of this path. This event was in collaboration with Sketch Taipei, so we also challenged ourselves with sketching for the first time. Although the results weren’t perfect, it was an experience that I wouldn’t usually have.
What moved me most during the event was at the end, when all participants reflected on and shared their drawings. When we arranged the artworks together and gathered around them to discuss our thoughts, I felt that each drawing carried its own unique story and emotion. Each person’s perception of nature and their understanding of the journey was expressed through their brushstrokes.
At that moment, I truly understood the value of this event—not only in the process of participation but also in the way sharing allowed everyone to feel a connection. Each person’s work was a unique perspective, and this kind of exchange and reflection gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature, as well as a new recognition of my own creative abilities.
Justin Hsiao
This experience let me appreciate the beauty of nature in the city. When I crossed the busiest streets and came to places. I found out that I never discovered before, although I passed by them countless times, I never got to know them. By participating this nature and sketching activity, I have better understanding in this city, it isn’t just about life and work. Sometimes if you put down what you are doing, appreciate the scenery around you, you may get unexpected results. After listening to the explanation of the tour guide, I have better understanding of these trees also notice that these trees are older than us. I also saw many unique works of art created by masters after being described by the tour guides. Some people think that they are ordinary paintings, but I think the scenery and history recorded with paper and pen will be engraved there forever, also will never be forgotten. Thank you to the Wilderness Conservation Society for giving us this opportunity to learn more about nature. Without this activity, I might never have discovered the unique beauty of this place.
