Future Ancient Waters: Devic Thresholds is a site-responsive plein air workshop that invites participants to engage the San Gabriel River through drawing, painting, mapping and field journaling thru water color. Working at the intersection of ecological art, environmental history and contemplative observation, participants explore the river as a living archive shaped by Indigenous stewardship, geology, engineered infrastructure, climate change and the river’s enduring web that continues to animate, inhabit and breathe spirit into its banks.
Through guided creative prompts and close observation, participants create studies that respond not only to what is visible, but also to the layered relationships, memories, and potential futures embedded within the watershed. Rather than seeking to capture the landscape, the workshop encourages participants to cultivate reciprocal attention with place and consider how art can become a practice of ecological listening. The unseen worlds that continue to inhabit its banks, remind us that every landscape carries both visible ecologies and invisible dimensions of relationship.
San Jose Creek & San Gabriel River Confluence
South El Monte, California
Saturday, August 1st • 10:30 AM
11699 Thienes Ave
South El Monte, CA 91733
We will gather at the confluence of San Jose Creek and the San Gabriel River—a place where waterways, histories, infrastructures, and communities meet. This field location offers a unique opportunity to observe the river corridor through the lens of ecological art, place-based storytelling, and creative exploration.
Water bottle (refillable recommended)
Comfortable walking shoes or sturdy sandals
Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
Layers for changing weather conditions
Small backpack or field bag
Personal snacks or lunch
Sketchbook or field journal
Drawing pencils, pens, charcoal, or other preferred drawing tools
Watercolor set and brushes (if you have them)
Colored pencils, pastels, or mixed-media materials (optional)
Portable stool, blanket, or sit pad (optional)
Clipboard or drawing board (optional)
Camera or phone for reference photos (optional)
Binoculars for observing birds and wildlife (optional)
Magnifying glass or hand lens (optional)
A small container for collecting observations (collecting natural materials only if permitted)
Curiosity
Openness to slowing down and observing
Willingness to engage with the river as a living place
Materials provided:
Basic drawing materials
Shared field prompts
Creative exercises and ecological observation activities
Future Ancient Waters: Devic Thresholds is a site-responsive plein air workshop that invites participants to engage the San Gabriel River through drawing, painting, mapping and field journaling thru water color. Working at the intersection of ecological art, environmental history and contemplative observation, participants explore the river as a living archive shaped by Indigenous stewardship, geology, engineered infrastructure, climate change and the river’s enduring web that continues to animate, inhabit and breathe spirit into its banks.
Through guided creative prompts and close observation, participants create studies that respond not only to what is visible, but also to the layered relationships, memories, and potential futures embedded within the watershed. Rather than seeking to capture the landscape, the workshop encourages participants to cultivate reciprocal attention with place and consider how art can become a practice of ecological listening. The unseen worlds that continue to inhabit its banks, remind us that every landscape carries both visible ecologies and invisible dimensions of relationship.
San Jose Creek & San Gabriel River Confluence
South El Monte, California
Saturday, August 1st • 10:30 AM
11699 Thienes Ave
South El Monte, CA 91733
We will gather at the confluence of San Jose Creek and the San Gabriel River—a place where waterways, histories, infrastructures, and communities meet. This field location offers a unique opportunity to observe the river corridor through the lens of ecological art, place-based storytelling, and creative exploration.
Water bottle (refillable recommended)
Comfortable walking shoes or sturdy sandals
Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
Layers for changing weather conditions
Small backpack or field bag
Personal snacks or lunch
Sketchbook or field journal
Drawing pencils, pens, charcoal, or other preferred drawing tools
Watercolor set and brushes (if you have them)
Colored pencils, pastels, or mixed-media materials (optional)
Portable stool, blanket, or sit pad (optional)
Clipboard or drawing board (optional)
Camera or phone for reference photos (optional)
Binoculars for observing birds and wildlife (optional)
Magnifying glass or hand lens (optional)
A small container for collecting observations (collecting natural materials only if permitted)
Curiosity
Openness to slowing down and observing
Willingness to engage with the river as a living place
Materials provided:
Basic drawing materials
Shared field prompts
Creative exercises and ecological observation activities
