Art & Nature Intertwined: Exploring Leaf Printing And A Recommended Read
The power of connecting to nature for our minds and bodies.
Hey there,
Happy Wednesday :) Thank you for your kind and encouraging messages last week after I showed you my surface design portfolio. It means an awful lot, and I’m so grateful to you.
Loosing Eden, Why Our Minds Need The Wild
This week I have been so inspired by Lucy Jones book ‘Loosing Eden, Why Our Minds Need The Wild.’ which is an eye opening observation on humanities connection to nature, how we are slowly loosing it and the importance of getting it back.
A friend was reading it and telling me how its made an impression on her to make an effort to get out into nature more. A sobering fact for you: “three-quarters of kids (aged 5-12) in the UK spend less time outdoors than prison inmates.”
It’s not a surprise that we are struggling with mental health more than ever as a society, it’s proven that connection to nature lowers stress, improves seratonin levels and lifts moods and we are spending more time than every inside. The effect on our mental and physical bodies can be catastrophic, the impact on the planet, equally if not more so.
As we loose the connection to the natural world, the repocussions on future generations brings a lack of interest in the earth, a lack of knowledge and empathy for it.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, I have good news for you…
SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
Today is the first day of Spring and nature is there waiting for us.
We can get out into nature even if we live in a city, in gardens, forests, parks and even bring those house plants to your home if you arent able to get outside at the moment.
Take a moment for yourself, lift those serantonin levels and go for a walk or a sit in nature. If you are anything like me, the winter has felt impossibly long and has effected your mood, so be kind to yourself and go get some of that green medicine :)
Inking And Printing Leaves
I had so much fun doing this, my hands were inky for days but it was so worth it! Using just India ink and a paintbrush here’s a way to print leaves and get all those veins, structures and details. Anyone can do it, give it a go!
Thank you for reading and happy Spring day :) I hope you have a great week,
Lydia x