A FEAST FOR THE SENSES: Mountain Lakes Preserve is the setting for a four-part series of workshops focused on the way nature inspires creativity. Professionals from the worlds of food, perfume, graphic design and poetry will lead the sessions.

On Fran McManus’s regular walks through the Mountain Lakes Preserve, she often ponders the relationship of the natural world and creativity. Nature, she has come to realize, can inspire ideas in ways that are not always immediately apparent.

From that realization, a four-part series of workshops has emerged. “Nature as Muse: A Sensory Exploration of One Landscape Through Four Creative Perspectives” was developed by Ms. McManus and Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS), which is presenting the sessions at Mountain Lakes Preserve starting Sunday, October 9. Local experts from the worlds of fragrance, food, graphic design, and poetry will share with participants the ways in which they are inspired by nature.

“This is an idea I’ve been kicking around for years,” said Ms. McManus, who is known locally for her work with The Whole Earth Center, her writings in Edible Jersey magazine, and other activities focused on farming, food, and related subjects. “When we think about natural spaces like Mountain Lakes, we think about things like rainwater and stream protection. But there is so much more. Sensory artists spend their lives honing their sensory skills, and nature is such an inspiration to them. I thought they could help us appreciate those aspects of nature. I want to bring us back to appreciating a natural setting through a whole spectrum of senses.”

Each of the presenters will lead a walk through the woods. Etienne Bouchaert, a perfumer from Firmenich, will open the series October 9 with a walk and talk focused on aromas in nature. Back at the Mountain Lakes House, he will explain how technology allows the capturing of fragrance.

Next, on October 16, Gab Carbone, co-owner of the bent spoon ice cream and bakery shop, will talk about taking culinary inspiration from the natural world. The Palmer Square store is known for its unusual flavors, and Ms. Carbone’s walk will be about sensory cues that can be used to make desserts. The tasting of raw ingredients and the ice creams they inspire is part of the workshop.

On October 23, Sarah Smith of the design firm Smith + Manning will explain how she gathers inspiration from nature to create sketches and photography. Her walk through the preserve will focus on observation of color and the collection of fall leaves, and participants will use their findings to create a color exercise.

Finally, on October 30, poet Douglas Piccinnini, who is also a chef at Poor Farm Food, will talk about sensory perception and
memory. On the walk he leads participants will document what they see, hear, feel and touch, to be reviewed and discussed back at Mountain Lakes House.

Designing the series has been a learning experience in itself, Ms. McManus said. “I’m fascinated by listening to creative people talk about their creative process,” she commented. “How do they get to a finished project or written work? It’s a big thing to ask someone to reflect on this. It’s not easy. But I talked, a lot, to Gab. When she talks about what influences her, it is such a privilege to listen. It is so big. She has deep connections to history.”

The decision to include fragrance was easy for Ms. McManus, who mentions the aromas of heavy pine and freshly mown hay that she experienced recently at a fair in Maine. “I didn’t know what to do with that. I wished then that I had a perfumer with me,” she said. She has known Ms. Smith, for a while. “Using nature as a source of color inspiration and pattern was a natural,” she commented. As for the final workshop on writing, she said, “When I’m writing a piece for Edible Jersey, I have a hard time tuning into the aspects of a landscape and making it come alive. So including that in the series made sense to me.”

The workshops are being marketed as a series, priced at $100. Each takes place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Mountain Lakes. Visit https://nature_as_muse.eventbrite.com to sign up.

“Mountain Lakes is so close to Princeton, yet so many people who live here have never walked there,” Ms. McManus said. “With the field views, the mountain streams, the lake, you get all of these landscapes in one area. The place is very inspiring, and we’re hoping people will come and experience what we’re offering.”