Why nature inspires me?

Why nature inspires me?

I’ve been looking closely at what I’ve been creating lately as I experiment with a number of different landscapes and mediums.  The process requires some soul-searching to answer the question, “Why do I choose the subjects that I do? What is it I want to say?”

I want to be more intentional about the link between what I create and the natural world. It’s where I draw my inspiration from. So, the answer didn’t quite satisfy because it’s easy to say “I’m inspired by nature” but really, why does it call to me?

Nature is constant. These past few years has been disorienting, disheartening and at times. But Nature was always there, reminding me of the familiarity of the everyday. Closely studying the flowers, bees, the changing colours around me, the vastness of the sky, and the simple pleasure of the breeze on my face. Since as long as I can remember, being surrounded by nature has always been my safe place.  It grounds me and refreshes my spirit. Even caring for my houseplants offers nourishes my soul.

Nature changes. I notice certain gardens around my neighbourhood and watch as they seem to bloom overnight, which is a comforting reminder that I can count on the rhythm of the seasons.

Nature slows me down so that inspiration can call to me.

In these digital times, it is easy to forget, and even resist, that we are susceptible to natural forces. Art helps me become more conscious of our true relationship with nature. It is undoubtedly important to feel a connection to the natural world.  It feels vital to my survival! So every day I try to unplug myself. Turn off screens. Go outside. Tune into my surroundings. Feel myself unwinding. I feel awe, reverence, and wonder when I’m paying attention to the natural world. It can be tiny and intricate or huge and breathtaking. It reminds me I’m not the centre of the universe but part of something bigger I can only begin to comprehend.

Having grown up in a small country town, I roamed the woods near my home most afternoons as a child. I remember that feeling of ‘all the time in the world’. Nature reminds me to pay attention and be in the moment. It’s an opportunity to be alone with my thoughts and to stay present to what’s around me.  Research has shown this feeling lights up the part of my brain dealing with memories, ideas and thoughts, which are the cradle of inspiration and creativity. I can’t access it if I’m rushing along.

The link. All nature requires is respect. My art is a way to capture the awe and wonder I feel and to attempt to share those feelings with you. I paint to remind us both to stop and let nature in.  I invite you to lose yourself and escape by starting at my paintings.

Let your mind be as vast as the sky.

Be still.

Appreciate.

Observe.