A Nature Based Hiatus

Field work gathered while immersed in nature, the beginnings of a new collection

“Be the sun breaking through the clouds.” ~A.D. Posey

Over the warmer months, from July to October, I spent considerable time in nature. During this time I both observed and documented what called to me artistically.

Large expanses of land with vast skies made me feel alive and carried a great sense of freedom. I marveled at the sheer magic of ever-changing cloud formations and their ephemeral presence. They spoke of impermanence and whispered the importance of living in each present moment.

Nature has a gentle way of accepting impermanence as she moves without hesitation from one season to the next. Nothing is ever the same, other than her rhythmic flow and acceptance of change.

A quick oil sketch with notes for later use in my studio. Location: Beautiful Powell’s Point Provincial Park, Nova Scotia.

My intention was to quiet outside influences and really get in touch with my inner artistic voice. What message do I really want to convey? What do I want to share from my wanderings in nature?

Although my retreat was for personal reasons, I believe connections are made from our shared human experiences. So that’s it—-I discovered I wanted to share the peace and wonder I derived from working and observing nature with my art tools.

Oil Study —Big Island, Nova Scotia

I am so grateful I listened to my intuitive voice and followed my wandering heart with both curiosity and a reverence for nature. So many discoveries and a solid collection of field work now supports a new series I have begun in my studio during these reclusive winter months. A perfect time to work industriously on larger pieces before I begin collecting again when warmer days return.

Forms Used in Field Collection:

I thought it would be fun to share the various methods and forms I used to create a collection of field work. All information collected, aptly supports my studio work.

Powell’s Point Provincial Park, Nova Scotia, Canada

VISUAL OBSERVATIONS:

One simple, but very informative method of understanding my subject has been through direct observation. Quiet pauses taken where I observe the changes and subtleties taking place before my eyes, have really added authenticity to the depiction of these elements.

For example, just sitting and observing various lighting, changing veils of atmosphere and the structure of clouds has really enabled me to depict them more believably in my paintings. They are not an easy subject to capture realistically, thus need to be studied closely to do so.

Oil Study with recorded Color Notes

ON LOCATION SKETCHES & STUDIES:

Working from life on location creating small sketches or painting studies of a scene before me has always been a very important and informative part of my practice. The wealth of information and understanding acquired via observation coupled with activity cannot be replaced by simply viewing photographs alone.

Oil Color Swatches with recorded paint combinations and observations. Melmerby Beach, Nova Scotia.

COLOR & WRITTEN NOTES:

While working on location, I’ve recorded color swatches. They have been a game changer when working on larger studio paintings. They help inform my overall palette for a studio piece and spur my visual memory.

Alongside my color swatches, I record the color mixtures used to create each swatch. Color mixing can be really intuitive by times, so I often record color combinations while I’m painting.

AUDIO RECORDING:

I stumbled on this form of field data when I was on location with limited time. During nightfall, lighting conditions change so rapidly, I found it really helpful to record my impressions of the scene. Listening to my descriptions later served as a great way to ignite my memory of that moment in time.

I began to use this method on other occasions while painting during the day as well. Not only did I use it to record descriptions about the scene before me, but also for personal reflections. All in all audio recordings added another layer to my overall data collecting.

(An audio recording created while on location in Powell’s Pt. Park. This recording is unedited —it reflects my thoughts as they occurred in the moment, so it is not really polished.)

Powell’s Pt. Park in Autumn, Nova Scotia, Canada

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO:

Lastly, photography and video recordings helped capture details and sounds while working quickly on location.

Photography does not offer a reliable color palette, especially when taken with my phone. I found some colors appeared more violet or darker than they actual were. Not to mention highlights were often over exposed and shadows were too dark. The camera also misses subtle shifts in color that the naked eye can see. We see far more ranges in color than can be caught via a camera.

Video recordings helped me step back into the scene where I worked. They allowed me to view the scene in “real time” again. They also ignited my senses and memories of that time spent on location. Thus, allowing me to tap back into the emotion felt during my experience.

Personal Reflection

Witnessing Nature’s Miracles, Grant’s Lake, Nova Scotia

The following is a audio recording I created while on location last autumn. It is a personal reflection that I felt was worth sharing given the turbulent times we are experiencing in our world at the moment.

Sharing it separately as it is a bit longer. It’s unedited —just me speaking off the top of my head, so not the smoothest speech in the world, but spoken from the heart.

I hope you are taking moments to find calm and hopefully you are finding peaceful moments in nature.

Warmly,

Debbie xx

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