What I've learned from my past 2 months of morning journaling I've been part of two group hugs this week. The first was on the tiny, packed dance floor of our local Venezuelan restaurant last Friday night. “I'm having soooo much fun!” a friend of mine squealed above the chaos of the folk rock tune that we were all jumping and flailing our arms somewhat rhythmically to. The rest of us replied with equal enthusiasm and suddenly we found ourselves engaged in a heartfelt group hug amidst the pulsing crowd.  The second instance occurred last night, after the weekly walk in my neighbo ..read more

  Hi everyone!    Back in the winter, I got an exciting email from Allegheny National Forest asking if I'd be interested in working with them to create one of my illustrated ecology maps for their Centennial in September 2023. In this vlog-style video, I talk about my personal connection to Allegheny National Forest and my week-long trip in May (which my dad came along for!) to get to know the forest better before I began working on the artwork. I also share time-lapse clips of the sketching, inking and painting process. The map print was gifted to all ANF employees ..read more

  This month has been a true whirlwind. We moved into our creaky, quirky 120-year-old home in Elkins, West Virginia, I traveled to Allegheny National Forest for a week to begin work on an illustrated map for the forest's Centennial, I turned in my book’s manuscript, AND I spent a week in the archives of acclaimed field guide artist Roger Tory Peterson for an artist residency at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. Phew!   As I pored over Peterson’s original paintings, writings and books during my residency, I stumbled upon a New York Times interview from wh ..read more

Happy April, everyone!   Well, after a slow winter of hibernation, house-hunting, and working intensely on my book, everything is suddenly springing into action.    We found a great little nest to make our own in Elkins, West Virginia, so we'll be moving there in the next couple of weeks. Elkins has a small but thriving art and traditional music scene (it's home to the renowned Augusta Heritage Center) and is the gateway to Monongahela National Forest, which protects nearly 1 million acres in the Allegheny Mountains. I'm eager to root down in this community and get to know this ..read more

Hello and happy March!    Today I want to share about a new practice that I'm bringing into my life. It's called “perpetual nature journaling” and it's a structured way to visually document our discoveries outdoors on a regular basis. This method was developed by botanical artist Lara Call Gastinger and while I've heard about it for years, I'm finally getting around to starting my own! In this video, I share a bit about the concept of perpetual journaling and give you a peek at my first two entries. Then, I bring you into my studio as I sketch and learn about a sweet little red ..read more

Warm greetings from my little corner of West Virginia! Have you gotten any snow yet? We've had only a few days of snow this winter, but I'm savoring every little snowflake. I've even gone cross-country skiing twice on less than an inch of snow… it's basically just hiking while sliding ever so slightly with each step, but I'll take it! I've been a bit quiet online lately because my book's manuscript and art deadline is just three months away and I've been working hard to bring this big, wonderful, messy monstrosity of a project in for a landing. The finish line still feels like a long way off a ..read more

One of the many wonderful things about watercolor is that you can make beautiful work with inexpensive materials. In fact, I used these basic materials exclusively for the first couple years of being a professional artist! If you’re taking my watercolor Skillshare classes or working from my watercolor book, these supplies are a great place to start. In this list, I provide two different brand options for each kind of materials. Name of set: Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Color Paint Sketcher’s Pocket Box Cost: Around $18 USD What I like about it: All the projects in my book are created ..read more

THE COLLABORATION To do our part to protect endangered species on Endangered Species Day (which is Friday, May 15th), I’ve teamed up with fellow WV-based nature illustrator Logan Schmitt on a collaborative pen & ink and watercolor illustration that features two endangered species that are found in mountain bogs - the mountain sweet pitcher plant and the bog turtle.First, we chose two endangered species that we wanted to feature - Logan chose the bog turtle (the smallest turtle in North America) and I chose the mountain sweet pitcher plant. Then, we went back and forth on a sketch until we ..read more

Hope you’re all doing okay out there! To help you stay creative, here’s a free downloadable coloring sheet of a snail, fern, morel (scientific name: morchella esculenta), and blossoming mayapple plant. Add color using whatever art materials you have on hand. You can even color digitally using an iPad.I’d love to see your interpretation of this little forest floor scene! If you’d like, tag me in your finished coloring projects on Instagram @rosaliehaizlett so I can check them out. Enjoy! PRINTING TIPS: If you’re on a computer, right-click on the coloring sheet below and then hit, “Save Image A ..read more

I just returned from an incredible three weeks living in an off-grid cabin on Hog Island off the coast of Maine with the National Audubon Society, a conservation organization with a special focus on protecting birds and their habitats. In my previous artist residencies, I’ve been in national parks with miles and miles of trails to explore. This time, I had just 330 acres to hike. This allowed me to really get to know the ins and outs of the island. I most enjoyed spending time along the rocky beaches, scouring the sand for interesting creatures and plants to paint.  Bladder wrack and kn ..read more