For centuries, artists great and small have drawn inspiration from the abundance of the natural world. Rembrandt, Picasso, Van Gogh, Matisse, Rodin; all of these artistic greats have credited nature for their creative excellence. Academics and artists the world over have dedicated their lives to the unique relationship between nature and art in the hope of gaining a deeper understanding of the world we live in, and our place in it.
It’s no surprise that this topic holds such a place in the human heart, because we are genetically programmed to find comfort when immersed in the natural world. Simply viewing natural scenes (such as those so painstakingly recreated in pencil and paint) increases positive feelings, reduces negative feelings, while healing and restoring the body and mind. The therapeutic benefits of being in nature are so potent that even in images it can still have a profound effect on your wellbeing. Combine that with art’s own healing qualities, and you’ve found a winning combination!
But, let’s remember that art isn’t only what appears on a canvas! You can read up on some incredible artistic projects that have been inspired by the natural world here. Or, if you fancy unleashing your inner creative genius, we have 3 fun ideas to help you get hands on with the natural world and get your creative juices flowing.
Leaf Printing. Create beautiful painted patterns with the help of some fallen leaves. Head outside and gather up leaves of all shapes and sizes to create your masterpiece. Arrange your leaves into any shape or pattern on a big piece of paper before painting (or coloring in) one side of the leaf and pressing this down to leave a painted imprint. Keep painting and pressing until you have created a gallery worthy work of art. *TOP TIP* You can also create stamps using old vegetables you have around. Carefully cut a shape into your chosen vegetable, and go wild stamping!
Weave A Wreath. Using our ‘Gathering Energy’ meditation as a guide, why not create your own seasonal wreath? All you need to do is find natural objects like flowers, leaves, and twigs that catch your eye, then arrange them into a beautiful wreath. You can either leave your wreath as a gift to any passerby, or you can weave and glue it together to keep a lasting memory of your artistic adventure.
3. Create A ‘Stained Glass’ Suncatcher. This one may take a little more prep, but it’s worth it! Cut a hole in a paper plate and lay over a sheet of sticky contact paper (the sticky side facing up). Arrange leaves and flowers into patterns and shapes, and once you’re done seal your artwork with another sheet of contact paper on top. Punch a hole into your paper plate frame and use a ribbon to create a hanger. Hang your suncatcher in front of the window and be dazzled by the colorful light that streams through it! You can find the whole tutorial here
So, are you feeling inspired? We sure hope so! If you fancy trying out any of our artistic ideas, or have found another way to combine the therapeutic wonders of art and nature, we’d love to hear about it- be sure to email us at youmatter@treebath.com. Get outside and open you eyes!
