Having fun with environmental art

Autumn is such an inspirational time of year in nature. As the trees and plants prepare to become dormant for the winter, the leaves of deciduous trees turn an amazing array of colours and there is an abundance of seeds, berries, nuts and of course leaves falling from the trees. It can lift your spirits just to see a beautiful tree at its peak of its autumn colours and can be quite inspirational.

As we go into the darker days of autumn, life can feel heavy as we anticipate the slow descent into winter. One antidote for this heaviness is to go for a walk in a local greenspace with the intention of getting in touch with your inner creativity and trying a little environmental art. It’s fun, free and can give a little joy to yourself and others too.

To get started wander around the space looking for inspiration. You will need to look for ‘artists materials’ - leaves of different colours and shapes, seeds, seed cases, nuts, and sticks - anything that has dropped off a tree or a plant and is lying around. You will also need to find a suitable ‘canvas’ - a surface on which to create your artwork using the material you have gathered. Your artwork could be a picture, a pattern a sculpture or some other display of your creativity. Have fun experimenting!

The beauty of environmental art is it is completely sustainable. You are just using what nature provides (without harming any living thing) and leaving it out in nature for others to discover before the materials decompose and the nutrients go back into the cycle of life. The only thing that should be taken away from this is a photo or two of your creation and the memories of the experience.

I like to think that other visitors to the greenspace may notice the artwork and it can bring them a little joy too, and maybe even inspire them to have a go themselves. It is the most glorious and satisfying form of artwork. It is so fun and freeing to do and you can really get in touch with your inner child.

Of course you don’t need to limit yourself to a greenspace. This concept translates very well to other outdoor spaces too, such as a beach, where rather than leaves you will find a proliferation of stones, shells, sticks and seaweed to use as your artist materials.

A little creativity helps promote a variety of positive emotions - happiness, joy and curiosity and awe at the beauty of nature. This can help  to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. It may also help us to tap into our subconscious and give us some interesting insights into our selves. Why not give it a go?

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- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

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‘Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.’ - John Muir