A Global Search for Wonder: Nature’s Art and our State of Mind
Join The Explorers Club on May 11 for a beautifully illustrated talk about nature’s ability to inspire awe, and the importance of these moments of wonder in an increasingly fragmented world.
In this talk, Jon McCormack MN ’23 explores the inherent artistry of the natural world across scales—from the minute and intimate to the vast and monumental. Moving between close observation and expansive perspective, he reveals patterns, textures, and abstracted forms that often go unnoticed in everyday life. The images invite viewers to slow down, look more carefully, and engage in a sustained form of attention that opens the door to wonder. Here, photography becomes both record and meditation, blurring the boundary between documentation and abstraction while fostering a deeper emotional connection to the living world.
The work draws from a decade-long project photographing nature across all seven continents. It reflects a commitment to seeing the natural world not simply as scenery, but as a dynamic, interconnected system shaped by time, scale, and fragility. By holding beauty and vulnerability side by side, the images encourage reflection on the complexity of the Earth—and on our shared responsibility to care for it.
In an age when the world feels endlessly photographed, it is fair to question the value of making yet more images of nature. Jon addresses this directly by framing the project around the experience of awe. Drawing on recent research in psychology, the talk explores how moments of awe can quiet our sense of self, expand our perception of connection, and increase our capacity for humility and care for others. By guiding viewers toward this emotional state, the work suggests that awe is not a luxury, but a vital psychological and social resource—one that may be especially necessary in an increasingly fragmented world.
This in-person event at the Explorers Club Headquarters will include an audience Q&A.
RESERVATIONS
This will be an in-person lecture at Explorers Club Headquarters.
In-person tickets are $20 for Members, and $35 for the General Public.
Check-in will begin at 6:00 pm, with a beer and wine reception from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Jon McCormack
Jon McCormack is a photographer shaped by the raw beauty and stark contrasts of the Australian Outback. He grew up in western Queensland, working with sheep and cattle on vast stretches of land where the rhythms of nature—its droughts and abundance, resilience and fragility—were not abstract ideas but daily realities. That early immersion instilled in him a lifelong reverence for the natural world.
He began photographing the Australian bush as a teenager, drawn to the quiet, often-overlooked moments of tenderness within a rugged landscape. These early images laid the foundation for a photographic voice rooted in attention, patience, and deep ecological empathy.
Today, Jon lives in Northern California, where his work explores the intricate patterns and emotional textures of wild places around the world. Through his images, he aims to awaken both wonder and responsibility in his viewers. His photographs have been widely published and are regularly used by global conservation organizations to advocate for the protection of fragile ecosystems.
His photography has been featured by leading conservation and media organizations including TIME, The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal, UNESCO, The Nature Conservancy, Africa Geographic, Conservation International, The Guardian, CNN, The Telegraph, Wild Eye Magazine, Nature Visions, and Outdoor Photographer. Jon was also featured on the NPR television series Eco-Sense for Living.
He is a member of The Explorers Club, a board member of the Rainforest Alliance, a founding board member of SeaLegacy, and co-founder of The Kilgoris Project, a nonprofit supporting education in rural Kenya.
