For Sidney Wildesmith, The Nature Man,

being a naturalist and artist is more than a career; it’s a way of life.

And now more than ever, it’s his mission.

 

Sidney's earliest memories are filled with images of plants, ants, trees and the seasons that drew him from his backyard into the fields, lakes and forests as he was growing up in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The wonders never ceased, and the quest to understand life on our earth fed his gift for communicating its wonders to hundreds of thousands of appreciative children, students and adults who have walked into the wild with The Nature Man.

 

He has been described as “a bit of a pied piper” by people naturally drawn to follow along as he explored trails and wild places all over the country. Wildesmith finds it as easy to see the wonder in a backyard, if you take the time to look and think, as in a remote wilderness trail. He helps people learn the skills to do so.

 

It comes naturally to The Nature Man. His professional career began as a guide in the Bell Museum of Natural History while earning his degrees in Biology, Natural History and Secondary Education. His gift to interpret nature even from the dramatic dioramas for people of all ages landed him a job as Naturalist at Minnesota’s largest State Park while an undergraduate. His advocacy for maintaining natural places led to his becoming the youngest Board Member of the Minnesota Nature Conservancy.

 

His skills as a gifted scientific illustrator did not go unnoticed at the Museum and he began a quest to interpret nature artistically, which has led to a life as a highly respected landscape artis and landscape painter.

 

As a naturalist he has instructed literally hundreds of thousands of people outdoors in State Parks, nature centers, museums and schools from California to New York State. His open-ended journey of life brought him to Santa Fe, New Mexico where his artistic skills blossomed. He made the choice to live close to nature, spending a year living in a cabin at 10,000 feet on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness in New Mexico, and later building by hand a solar-powered home where he lived, off the grid, for 10 years.

 

Wildesmith converts his passion for the earth into ever more public expressions. He saw a need in the National Parks for visitors to connect with the earth through art. So he created The National Parks Touring Artists Program in partnership with the National Park Service and served as Artist-In-Residence in Yellowstone, Redwood, Arches, Canyonlands, and Mesa Verde National Parks, teaching people to draw, sketch, paint, write about and even create songs about their National Park experience.

 

Seeing a need for a more effective voice in the media for the earth he loves, he launched “The Wild Side News,” a weekly Internet radio show about nature and the environment. Over four years, he produced over 200 hour-long shows featuring interviews with the world’s leading naturalists, writers, advocates and leaders including Jane Goodall, Robert Redford, Ted Danson, Dr. David Suzuki and hundreds of others, bringing many voices of the earth to the public. He is now advancing the effectiveness of media through video production on a diversity of topics.

 

He has had numerous shows in recent years in private and public venues, primarily in Southern California. He has expanded his creative expression with his TransDimensional (3-D) art,which is manifest in various media. He also consults with hi-tech firms and inventors, to help bring their creations to market.

 

Now more than ever he sees the expanding hand of man pushing and shoving nature aside to sustain the ever-expanding global reach of human needs. He continues his life-long desire to keep nature and humankind connected. As he has lived his life to this point, where it leads he will go, and will continue to give voice to the wonder. “Come on along,” he beckons, “and bring your friends.

 

"The earth, it’s the most amazing place you’ll ever know.”