How Nature Inspires My Abstract Paintings
In my last blog post about my early landscapes I briefly mentioned how my aim when creating art is to try and capture that feeling I get when I'm looking at gorgeous scenery. So I thought I'd chat some more about how nature inspires and influences my abstract paintings.
My love of being outdoors has a big influence in all areas of my life. It influences the types of holidays I prefer, how I get my exercise and even which pubs I frequent! (I enjoy a long walk through countryside to get to a pub and I prefer pubs where I can sit in the garden 😁)
Although I love being outside, I’m not your typical outdoorsy sporty type. I enjoy running (when my knees allow me), walking and hiking, but at a slow pace so I can enjoy the scenery along the way (using a treadmill is not my idea of fun…) Luckily I’m not very competitive, nor am I at all speedy, so this slow pace comes very naturally to me!
Nature and ‘feelings’
Nature for me is all about how it makes me feel. That swelling feeling you get in your heart when you see a really gorgeous sunset. Or the excitement of looking down from a mountain at the teeny tiny trees and houses in the distance. I love how seeing a field of buttercups on a sunny day instantly cheers me up. And that just listening to the wind or the birds in the trees or water trickling in a stream lifts a weight off of my shoulders.
Whenever I’m feeling a bit down or stressed I know that just going for a short walk along the nearby canal will make a huge difference. It’s amazing how nature can change your feelings so dramatically.
Here are some photos taken during my many walks along the nearby canal. Even just looking at these now makes me feel calmer...
So it’s no wonder that nature is such an inspiration for me in my art. Whether it’s a landscape, floral or abstract painting, you’ll see natural elements making an appearance.
In my earlier landscapes nature was obviously the subject matter, but even now that I've moved to more abstract painting, natural elements are always showing up. This could be flower, leaf or tree-like shapes and motifs in my abstract art. Or it could even just be a colour palette that gives me the same feeling I get when I’m out in nature or that was inspired by some flowers I saw on a walk along the canal.
For example, in my abstract painting ELATION below, I was aiming to create a general impression of wild flowers and I chose the colour palette to be reminiscent of Spring.
Do you feel the same way about nature? If so, take a look at some of my nature-inspired art prints - they might be just the thing for you to bring a bit of that feeling of being outdoors into your home.