Ah, nature! What a beautiful world we live in. As an artist, I take so much peace and joy from the grasses, trees, mountains, and air around me. The outdoors allows me to better understand the world, myself, and my place in the world. And so, my artistic focus is primarily on nature. 

I plan to hike once a week. Not only is it good to get out and observe the sights around oneself, but it’s physically and mentally good for the body as well. Artistically, it is a chance to gather field data in a way. The exploring and while hiking inspires me to translate that curiosity into research and studying that leads to visual exploration. This could mean asking, “why do the leaves seem so super-reflective of light this fall? Why does leaf ‘brightness’ vary?”

Well short answer, there is a scientific reason to those questions. Reading about the color and light absorbency of trees at different times of the year and also the variance of weather as a factor allowed me to paint a landscape painting with a more accurate illuminating quality to certain tree leaves. 

So maybe consider going on a hike this week, and i implore you to take a few minutes to really look at and let your mind wonder about the nature around you...Take colored pencils or pastels and some paper with you!