Our Mission

Atelier de la Nature (French for Nature’s Workshop), is a nature reserve, sculpture garden and outdoor education center located in the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun country, that aims to inspire people to steward the nature in their own backyards and learn how, collectively, we can protect these natural gifts for future generations, through art.

Started in 2017 by Dr. Brandon Ballengée (Artist and Biologist), Aurore Ballengée (Sustainable food Educator) and their children Lily and Victor, the Atelier de la Nature’s programs use active learning methods that combine art with science and nature-based education as a means to inspire and do conservation. The Atelier property (approx. 25 acres) is old farm fields being ‘re-natured’ through native plantings and habitat creation!

Atelier de la Nature offers guided nature walks, eco-workshops, art and-science educational programming, sustainable cooking workshops, and more! It is a communal space, where people can learn about local ecosystems, contribute to science, express their findings through art and even take direct positive ecological actions that benefit other species.

Since its start, Atelier de la Nature has held numerous festivals and programs, such as the Halloween Art & Nature Festival (Falls of 2017-19), Prairie Planting Day (Winter 2018, 2019), Fête de la Nature / Earth Day Festival (Springs of 2018-20), several art and nature programs with local area schools, and more.

Within the nature reserve, restorations have begun to re-establish ‘Cajun’ prairie, regrow a forest with the planting of over a thousand regionally native trees, and create a wetland habitat. The Ballengée’s are working on making the Atelier land a biological field station, exploring carbon sequestering projects and planning to make family friendly nature trails.