Midway through her college career, Betty Gatewood changed her interest from laboratory science to the “outdoor” sciences of ecology and natural history; she’s been outdoors ever since ~ observing, hiking, skiing, teaching, learning, sharing, documenting, journaling, and painting.
Instead of presenting the perfect specimen or picture, Betty paints it as it is – the torn and tattered American chestnut leaves, the bug-eaten witch-hazel leaves, a foggy mountain snow-scape, or a quick, messy journal sketch to document an experience.
She has conducted art and journaling workshops for teachers, Shenandoah National Park visitors, and local art groups. She has exhibited her Appalachian Trail/travel journals at Staunton Public Library and her botanical art at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond. Her witch hazel illustration was on display at the US Botanic Garden in Washington, DC, along with 70 other botanical art images from US National Parks to commemorate the Centennial of the National Park Service in 2017.
After teaching middle school for several years, Betty was the Teacher-in-Residence for Environment-Based Learning at Mary Baldwin University with Dr. Tamra Willis under a NOAA grant. She worked with local teachers and students to enhance and document their environmental experiences. Following her MBU time, Betty enjoyed being an Education and Interpretive Park Ranger in Shenandoah National Park where she developed educational curricula, led student and park visitor programs. She continues to be an active member of Potomac Appalachian Trail Club; her passion is to provide opportunities for anyone to get outside to experience, observe, analyze and document the natural world through art and journaling.
Frequently on her outdoor ramblings, she is accompanied by her husband Mark, an avid outdoors-man, who often suggests particular subjects to document with her art. Their rambles near and far have provided many inspirations for her journals and art ~ the Shenandoah Valley, Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park, West Virginia, and New England are her favorite places to experience and document the beauties and intricacies of the natural world.
