Nature Propels my Artwork
“There can be occasions when we suddenly and involuntarily find ourselves loving the natural world with a startling intensity, in a burst of emotion which we may not fully understand, and the only word that seems to me to be appropriate for this feeling is joy.”
The gift of Nature for my art classes in Los Angeles
Those of you who have been to my studio, understand the feeling of creative calmness you feel when nestled in the natural environment of our space. The power of the hills, trees, bushes, birds, sky enter my daily work, how can it not? I have lately been reading the writings of Rachel Carson, a pioneer in environmental consciousness.
“Our origins are of the earth. And so there is in us a deeply seated response to the natural universe, which is part of our humanity,” Rachel Carson wrote in the mid 20th century, awakening the modern environmental conscience and eventually laid the path for the creation of the environmental protection agency. Her book “Silent Spring” published in 1962 set off a huge debate about the use of chemical pesticides and was the inspiration for Joni Mitchell’s song: “Hey farmer farmer — / Put away the DDT / Give me spots on my apples, / but leave me the birds and the bees. / Please!”
Art and Nature
Our bond with nature is spiritual. Art is a spiritual act. Nature and Art heal the soul. This is what I firmly believe. In my mixed media and collage classes we explore this closely. The subject matter that my students choose may not be one of nature, but the nature that surrounds us, supports our practice by providing a gentle healthy green space in which to breathe and create.