Art of the Wild
Maureen Green
Nature is my true muse. I feel the spirit of nature always around me; it has always inspired a sense of wonder and fascination. I spent so much of my childhood outdoors, and could lie in my backyard for hours gazing up at the clouds or a tiny bug working its way through the giant blades of grass. I still find that laying on the earth forms a powerful connection to nature. Sometimes it feels as if my whole body is growing roots into the earth. I still make a special effort to do this once in a while. I am always aware if I haven’t been outside for a few hours and I feel a strong need to spend time outside.
~ Maureen Green
Kaleidoscope Tree, Photo with Collage of Photos
Golden World Spiral, Acrylic on Canvas
Weaving Water and Air, Acrylic on Woven Canvas
Maureen Green
Whale Muse Mandala, Acrylic on Canvas
Life Growing All Through Me, Acrylic on Canvas
Hubble Fly, Acrylic
Maureen Green is a transformative artist living in Alameda.
Over the course of my studies at J.F.K. University in Berkeley where I received my Masters in Transformative Art. I began relating to the natural world on a deeper level. Even though we live in a modern, highly technical society, all of us are affected by what happens in the natural world. Thinking about this relationship between humanity, and how we relate to the natural world, is often what prompts me to go into the studio and create something new.
There is an interconnection between humans and nature. As a matter of ritual, before entering my studio, I walk around my garden just to get inspiration. Going into the garden is what feeds my mind’s eye.
Another important part of my art is my woven paintings, in these I have two elements of nature, I am alchemically transmuting the two single elements and making into the magical conjunction of the two together, rendering the painting more powerful and interesting.
Find more of Maureen's work on her Facebook page or by contacting her at: maureenstudio@gmail.com
Jackie Lewis
For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to Nature and plants.
As a young girl my mum was poorly and in hospital for long periods. I missed her so much. In the early morning I used to go outside and collect dew from the rose petals and drink it. This was my healing nectar. Instinctively I felt this healed my heart and gave me the love I was missing. In so doing I discovered the magical healing powers of plants.
Today, as a hedgerow herbalist, shamanic practitioner and dream artist, I continue to draw inspiration, guidance and healing from Nature every day.
From food and drink to herbal medicines, every aspect of human life derives from plants. Much of the time we take these gifts for granted or worse, seek to exploit our privileged position on the planet.
We forget our part in what is in fact a sacred contract with Nature.Nature nourishes, clothes and heals us.
As we learn to live in harmony with Nature, we too can produce beauty. Beauty in our selves, in the things we make, in our dreams, words and music. Beauty is the natural expression of gratitude for the awesome gift of life.
You can feel it in the culture, clothing, pots and pans of the indigenous tribes that still uphold the sacred in Nature.
As a dream artist, I am dedicated to remembering our connection to Nature, the source of joy and meaning in our lives.
~ Jackie Lewis
Holy of Holies
Touching the Void
Hawthorn
Jackie Lewis
Mama-Coca
Sun and Moon - Love Holding Love
Nettle
Jackie Lewis is a Visionary Plant and Dream Artist based in Essex, UK. She taps into her deep connection with Nature and the Unseen and brings these worlds to canvas for all to see. She does this with such vibrancy and truth that by looking at one of her paintings (even on a computer screen), we can feel the energy of these Beings, we can experience their healing gifts as some deep remembering stirs in our own soul. Through her work, Jackie reminds us of the Sacred in All and express her gratitude for Nature’s gifts.
Marnie Sinclair
Getting down on all fours and crawling around observing nature has always been a curious drive for me. As a small child I have vivid memories of studying butterflies and ants as they went about their daily business of gathering sustenance. Being raised in the tropics was a perfect setting for observing the magic and mystery ever present in the lush Cuban landscape. I had the opportunity to raise all kinds of domestic animals, which I loved, and to closely observe the wild ones, like the scary hairy tarantula, who would crawl underfoot after a heavy rain storm. Following our flashlights, we could find a giant witch’s moth splayed on our exterior cement wall. I was very lucky to be stimulated, challenged, and inspired by my surroundings. Life in the rural countryside was full of adventure and never dull. Our place in the whole complex web of life was reinforced for me daily as I realized early on that we are just one of the myriad pieces that make up the whole earthly balance that is so essential to us all.
As an artist I have realized the need to show how incredible Nature’s balance and harmony is without our interference. I began studying the plant world with the idea of looking for ways that plants communicate with each other. What I uncovered was fascinating. Scientists are only recently coming to understand the sophisticated communication and adaptation that is present in the plant world. Through my research I’ve discovered some amazing stories of how plants attract pollinators, fend off predators, warn same species of invasions, and recognize kin. The symbiotic relationship that plants have with their pollinators, and predators alike, is truly amazing! This has opened up a whole new world of exploration for me.
Nature’s perfect balance is far more compelling than man’s fractured attempt to control our environment. What continues to be affirmed is that we are not above nor apart from nature but instead, an integral part of this magical earthly puzzle. Her many voices demand our understanding, respect, and protection. The big question is, ‘Are we awake enough to hear her?’
~ Marnie Sinclair
Fir and Fungus
19” x 17” x 17”; mixed media
The mighty Douglas firs of the Pacific Northwest make up a vast dense forest. Each tree is dependent on the roots of a fungus to receive nutrients and connect to other trees of the same species. A perfect partnership has evolved because the fungus has the ability to process the CO2 and sugar produced by the fir tree to produce nutrients that feed the tree and its neighboring fir trees. The connective web of roots from the fungus that unites and nourishes the trees is enormous and is considered one of the biggest living organisms on Earth.
Angel's Muse
12” x 8”; mixed media
Angel’s Trumpet is a flowering South American plant, and many of its parts are highly toxic. The sword-billed hummingbird is the only pollinator that has adapted to this plant. The bird developed an extra-long beak to safely feed on the nectar deep inside the plant.
Marnie Sinclair
Pitcher and Bat
24” x 9 .” x 5 .”; mixed media
A carnivorous pitcher plant in Borneo attracts bats by vibrating. The bat responds to the acoustic welcome, and finds a safe place to roost that is cool and free of parasites. The plant receives nutrients from the bat’s droppings. The pitcher plant is unusual in that it attracts the bats for nutrients rather than for pollination.
Wild Tobacco
17” x 21”; paper collage
The wild tobacco plant protects itself in several remarkable ways. Its leaves contain nicotine, poisonous to all its predators except the hornworm caterpillar. This caterpillar attracts the plant’s only pollinator: the nocturnal hawk moth. If the moth’s larvae threaten the plant, it changes its chemistry and becomes a plant that only attracts hummingbirds in the daytime. This amazing transformation from a nocturnal to a daytime plant happens in just 8 days.
Marnie Sinclair is a process artist. Raised in the tropics with its lush flora and fauna, then living and working on Martha’s Vineyard with its pristine beaches and wildlife, and now making her home on the rugged coast of Maine, Sinclair expresses her awe of the natural world through her art. She works in different mediums, and in 2- or 3-dimensions, but sculpture is her preferred choice. Sinclair is also a professional videographer and produced “Nature’s Spin Through Art.” The video uses a series of Sinclair’s abstract sculptures to illustrate the complex story of climate change. She interviews three scientists prominent in the field of climate change: Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, George Woodwell, founder of the Woods Hole Research Center, and Jerry Sullivan, a retired NOAA physicist. The combination of her visual art with the sobering observations delivered by these scientists communicates the urgency to address climate change to save the Earth for all of its inhabitants. The video is available on YouTube. Marnie Sinclair hopes that “Balance & Imbalance” resonates with you, inspiring you to love and protect the Earth, our only home.
www.marniesinclair.net
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