Clouds not only Shapeshifters,

But mood shifters as well

“Having your head in the clouds, even for just a few minutes each day, is good for your mind, good for your body, and good for your soul.”

- Gavin Pretor-Pinney

Painting in Arisaig Provincial Park, high above the ocean and trees. Love this scenic perch! There is a bench to my left that my husband and I would sit on while we had a snack and watched the clouds, birds soaring and the ocean below. Pure heaven!

As my exploration of clouds continues, I’ve found viewing various types of cloud forms evoke varied emotions. Not only are they shape shifters, but emotion shifters as well. Some appear playful while others majestic by their sheer size alone.

When I became more consciously aware of their mood evoking presence, I began to take note of why I was drawn to various cloud shapes. I also found absolute joy in painting particular shapes. When I examined why, it was definitely related to how they made me feel.

Painting on location in beautiful Cape John, Nova Scotia.

We are not always fully aware of our response to natural elements. As we go about our busy lives, we sometimes neglect to acknowledge the direct affect we might be experiencing from nature’s presence. I think we fall asleep at the wheel sometimes as we tick off checklists and participate in the whirlwind of life!

A perfect reason to slow down and take time to relish both in the beauty and emotions stirred while witnessing changes in nature. I think the expansiveness of wide open skies and drifting clouds is the perfect place to acknowledge how our emotions can be shaped. No matter where we are outside, all we have to do is pause and look up. Mere seconds can break our hurried pattern and take us back to the present. Not to mention spark imagination and curiosity.

Balmy July evening in Big Island, Nova Scotia.

In the following images, I share a few cloud shapes I’ve enjoyed painting and the emotions evoked. I hope they stir joy and your imagination!

Gigantic billowy clouds in Big Cove, Nova Scotia.

Billowy Cloud Study —Oil on paper, painted from life.

Large Billowy Clouds:

~Feel expansive, like giant cotton balls gently floating and drifting along

~They feel larger than life, evoking a sense of vastness beyond our worldly existence

~Love all their soft tones and how they often resemble sections of a value scale

~Evoke feelings of awe, joy and calm

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I like to call these “puff” clouds.

Detail of a painted puff cloud—-water droplets occurred when taking this pic as it started to shower.

Small puff clouds:

~Reminiscent of puffs of smoke from a small train

~They appear playful and childlike—perhaps babies of the larger billowy clouds

~Love how they playfully scuttle along

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Here you can see small wisps that broke away from the main cloud.

Small wispy clouds on left hand side, breaking away from larger billowy clouds.

Stringy/ Wispy Clouds:

~Interesting to watch them detach from larger clouds and disperse into the atmosphere over a deeper blue sky color

~They feel elusive and introverted compared to their extroverted larger companions

~Although they appear incidental and insignificant, they can be used to lead the viewer’s eye into focal points

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Thoughts:

So how are these observations relevant when planning a cloudscape? Well being aware of emotions evoked, enables me to plan and understand how the painting might lend itself to a particular interpretation. For example, maybe I am aiming for a joyful lighthearted piece of work or an awe inspiring mood. Since I have already discovered particular clouds or scenes that evoke these emotions, I have an internalized guide as to what type of clouds or scene I could utilize to help carry out that vision.

Conclusion:

In general clouds lean into a great sense of child-like wonder. The type of wonder we experienced as children while we freely explored our outdoor environment; where moments flowed from one adventure to the next.

Recently while watching a video that explored how to remain young at heart as we age, Mariel Hemingway brought up a point I found to be very true. She stated that if you observe young children, they continually look upward and all around while exploring their world, whereas adults spend a lot of time looking downward—especially with the introduction of smart phones.

Of course we now know it is not only adults that look downward, but also older children and teens that own a smartphone. Technology with all it’s advantages, has removed us from being in sync with our natural environment. A place where we can find our center and experience awe once again.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Do you look upward on a daily basis? Do different types of clouds evoke various emotions for you as well? Have you experienced the rejuvenating benefits of acknowledging and experiencing nature on a daily basis? Let me know!

Warmly,

Debbie xx

Drifting, 24x30in. Oil on cradled wood panel.

HAPPY NEWS!

“Drifting” a larger cloudscape I completed, was recently accepted into Teichert Gallery’s Fall Show. Many thanks to the gallery for their inclusion and support!

Close up detail of “Drifting”

A little video where I scan over painting details in natural light. You’ll also get glimpses of little gnats flying in front of my video. lol

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