Madison Public Library Announces 2026 Naturalist-in-Residence; Programs Begin November 5
MADISON, WI – Madison-based artist, doula, community educator, and culinarian Qwantése Dourese Winters has been chosen to lead nature-based programs from November 5 – December 21 as the 2026 Naturalist-in-Residence for Madison Public Library. The residency, centered on the theme The Tender Season, will explore winter as a time for rest, reflection, creativity, and connection with the natural world.
“As a naturalist, I believe one of the greatest gifts we can cultivate is the ability to notice," said Winters. “Modern life often encourages us to move quickly through the seasons, treating winter as something to survive until spring arrives. Yet the natural world tells a different story. Winter is not the absence of life; it is a season of preparation, rest, resilience, and quiet transformation."
Winters' work explores the intersections of nature, storytelling, race, gender, and community care. Through immersive workshops, guided nature experiences, nourishing meals, and mixed media art, she creates spaces where curiosity, creativity, and rest become pathways to deeper connection with ourselves, our communities, and the natural world.
“While we often offer this residency in the summer, bringing it into the winter months gives us a special opportunity to explore a season we don't always take the time to appreciate," said Sean Ottosen, Community Engagement Librarian at the Imagination Center Library. “Qwantése's programs remind us that nature has something to offer us in every season."
Throughout the residency, Winters will invite participants to slow down and pay closer attention to the changing landscape and the small details that easily go unnoticed. Programs will include guided nature walks, creative workshops, journaling, storytelling, seasonal reflection, and opportunities for rest and community connection.
Winter's accompanying artwork, named to embody the theme for this year, The Tender Season, is a digital mixed media collage that reimagines winter as a season of quiet beauty, contemplation, and belonging. Inspired by the stillness of the landscape after the leaves have fallen, the piece layers celestial imagery, botanical forms, torn paper, and painted textures to create a dreamlike Wisconsin farm landscape. Library visitors will be able to pick up themed 2026 Naturalist-in-Residence posters showcasing this artwork at any Madison Public Library location beginning Thursday, November 5 in English, Spanish or Hmong while supplies last.
This piece celebrates winter as a season that asks us to slow down, notice the subtle rhythm of the natural world, and embrace rest as an essential part of life. My hope is that this piece offers an invitation to experience winter as a landscape filled with wonder and possibility.
Qwantése Dourese Winters, 2026 Naturalist-in-Residence
About Madison Public Library
With more than 1.4 million annual visitors across 10 library locations each year, Madison Public Library's tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for 150 years. Visit the library online at www.madisonpubliclibrary.org and @madisonpubliclibrary on Facebook and Instagram.