A series of drop-in workshops at Art Windsor-Essex introduce ways to incorporate natural materials in mark making, says artist Sarah Smitherman.

A graphic designer in the UWindsor Department of Public Affairs and Communications, she uses natural elements in her interdisciplinary practice to explore notions of place and impermanence.

“These workshops encourage participants to explore their surroundings and exercise their creativity while using their discoveries as inspiration,” Smitherman says.

The Sundays in the Studio! series continues through August on a drop-in basis, free with admission to the gallery, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the second-floor Education Studio at 401 Riverside Dr. West.

The Aug. 13 session, “Exploring Natural Pigments,” will engage participants in extracting colour from plants and using them to create artworks.

On Aug. 20, “Creating Images with the Sun” will harness the power of the sun, artfully arranged foliage and other materials, and cyanotype paper to capture summer.

The Aug. 27 workshop, “Creating Prints with Nature,” will see participants make monoprints with varying types of leaves.