Art from nature is created with the brush of time. To meditate on it is to experience a state of timelessness. This month we cover some brilliant nature artists from different corners of the planet. We hope their work helps you stop time, even if it is for a few moments.
Great nature artists have the ability to gift us a unique perspective of our world, creating works that provoke thought, evoke emotion, and inspire awe. As you experience their art, put yourself in the mind of the nature artist and spend a little thought to imagine the creation process. Creating beautiful art that evolves and disintegrates with time is perhaps a metaphor for our own journey through life.
Nature Artist: Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy is a British artist known for his site-specific sculptures and land art. Goldsworthy often uses natural materials like rocks, leaves, ice, and branches to create his works, which are often ephemeral and subject to the forces of nature. His pieces explore themes of impermanence, the relationship between humans and nature, and the passage of time. His work can be quite stunning, and it often invites viewers to contemplate the beauty and transience of the natural world. Explore Andy Goldsworthy’s work.
Nature Artist: Richard Long
Midsummer Circles, 1993, Richard Long
Richard Long: Long is a British artist known for his minimalist sculptures, often created by arranging natural materials like stones, sticks, and mud into geometric shapes or lines. He’s also renowned for his landscape interventions and walks, during which he documents his journeys through photographs and text. His work explores themes of time, distance, and the relationship between humans and the natural world. Learn more about Richard Long.
Nature Artist: Maya Lin
Maya Lin: Lin is an American artist and architect famous for her environmental artworks and memorials. She’s best known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., but she’s also created numerous other works that engage with nature and landscape in innovative ways. Lin’s installations often incorporate natural elements to evoke contemplation and reflection on the environment and our place within it. Explore Maya Lin’s work.
Nature Artist: Nils Udo
Nils-Udo: Nils-Udo is a German environmental artist known for his large-scale, site-specific installations made from natural materials. His works often blend seamlessly with their surroundings, emphasizing the beauty and fragility of the natural world. Nils-Udo’s pieces range from ephemeral sculptures to intricate earthworks, all of which celebrate the interconnectedness of humanity and nature. Discover more about Nils-Udo.
Nature Artist: Robert Smithson
Desert Breath by Robert Smithson
Robert Smithson: Smithson was an American artist famous for his pioneering land art and earthworks. He’s best known for creating “Spiral Jetty,” a massive earthwork sculpture built into the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Smithson’s work often dealt with themes of entropy, transformation, and the relationship between art and the environment. Discover more about Robert Smithson.
Nature Artist: Agnes Denes
Tree Mountain by Agnes Denes
Agnes Denes: Denes, a Hungarian-American artist, weaves intricate tapestries of thought and land. Her work, often colossal in scale, talks of the symbiosis between human intellect and the natural world. She paints with fields of wheat, etches with the sharp edge of geometry, and sculpts with the undulating curves of topography. Denes’ creations are sung in the language of soil and sky. Explore Agnes Denes’ work.
Nature Artist: James Brunt
James Brunt: Brunt, a modern-day wanderer and artist, roams the land seeking inspiration from the earth. With nimble fingers he sculpts masterpieces from pebbles, leaves, and branches. Each creation is a testament to the beauty hidden in the mundane, a delicate dance between chaos and order. Brunt invites us to pause, to see the world anew through the kaleidoscope of his vision, and to rediscover the magic woven into the fabric of existence. Discover more by James Brunt.
Nature artists and their art serves as a gentle reminder of our connection to the earth and the fleeting wonders it holds. We hope you enjoyed this post. Leave a comment to let us know of other amazing nature artists that have touched your mind.
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Also, try our collection of best nature activities from around the world and create your own meditative art. >> Nature Calm
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Legend says that somewhere deep in the forest of the Himalayas is a strange bird that lays psychedelic eggs. Eating them will give you highly vivid hallucinations. The indigenous shamans believe that these visions are from your past life.
I am accompanying my friend Mei Pin and her team on a quest to find out whether this story is true or not, and to document the journey. Mei Pin is a Singaporean food connoisseur and experimenter. By genetically cloning the compounds in the psychedelic egg she wants to set up a chain of high food joints. Dishes that help you discover who you are.
The shamans have warned us of great challenges in our path. The bird or egg has not been seen in living memory. But for Mei Pin the quest is not just about adventure or entrepreneurship, it also about finding life’s true purpose.
Week 1
Deep in the forest, one steps forth into a world of mysteries. In this vastness of unmapped, unexplored territory, how do you find something that no one has ever seen?
To find a bird, one must become the bird. Every impossible task can be broken down into small possible steps. Our first step was to locate a rare species of bioluminescent mushrooms. These mushrooms were thought to give the egg its psychedelic powers. It was a favourite food source of the illusive bird.
Week 4
Today after a hunting for 3 weeks in dense riverine rainforest, battling the weather elements as well as giant mosquitoes that can pierce elephant skin, we have finally located what we think are the coveted food source of our magic bird. And now it is a game of patience. Will we get lucky? After all, when you go on a wild journey, instead of looking for purpose sometimes it is wiser to wait and let purpose find you.
Week 7
There you have it. A mythical bird that closely resembles the Himalayan Monal, but with minute differences. In the local language it is known as ‘Mumang Petu’ which can be translated as the dream giver. The credit for spotting the bird goes to my friend Vohbica – an exceptionally talented tracker who works in Dampa National Tiger reserve in Mizoram.
In the depths of the ancient forest, nestled among the softest moss, we find our treasured dream egg. Its mesmerising hue glows with an otherworldly radiance. As one gazes into its ethereal depths, intricate patterns dance and morph, unveiling a tapestry of mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
Using advanced tech we scrape off nano dust particles from the egg shell without disturbing it. The dna from cells is fused with a strain of yeast which is cultured in an incubator until we have enough to add to our traditional omelette. The omelette holds the power to transport the curious and the brave into an extraordinary world where reality merges with the fantastical. What visions will we see? … We are about to find out.
Mind, space, and time have a strange relationship. But inside my dream the concept of time and space became a kaleidoscopic pattern. I turned into an ancient forest where neon blue eggs, like glowing orbs, dotted the undergrowth, pulsating with energy. Was it a dream or was it a prophecy?
The next morning everything had changed. Things that we thought were important in life, no longer held meaning. The greatest transformation was in Mei Pin. She felt that in the past life, she had been an incarnation of the dream giver bird. And her idyllic happy life had been cut short by the desires and dreams of humans.
“To imagine the impossible, is to sow the seeds of making it possible some day.”
Mei Pin’s new dream is to open eco-schools in remote forest villages. Schools where the beauty, wonders, and mysteries of nature are cherished and protected. A school that aims to open hearts, not just minds, so that all creatures big and small can have a better future for their kin. Where students learn that finding true purpose is mix of what you need from life, and more importantly what the world needs of you.
This forest story is a figment of my imagination, and draws on memories from my travels in the remote forests of eastern Himalaya. The images have been generated using an AI program. It is an experiment to make use of new tools to fill our minds with wonder and inspiration. When we imagine the impossible, we sow the seeds of making it possible someday.
Please leave a comment to let us know what you thought about this experiment. The goal of Healing Forest is to bring people and forests closer to each other through creativity and mindfulness. Our monthly newsletter sends uplifting new ideas to help you and your loved ones grow with nature.
As we sail the ocean of life, sometimes we can run into an island of trash. Chaos is an inevitable part of this journey – so how do you clear the mind in a natural, healthy way? In this post you’ll find a creative alternative for facing your confusions, and keeping your mind clear.
A Ploem walk is a unique way of clearing up inner as well as outer spaces. Just like plogging is a combination of picking up litter while jogging – a Ploem walk combines word games with picking up litter. The simple act of healing the outer can become the path for transforming the inner – one small act at a time. Adding stories and poems to the process taps into our deepest emotions, so that the chaos inside can turn into words which create a calm and clear mind.
Simplest Way To A Clear Mind?
Do you know what are the biggest reasons for not addressing chaotic situations in one’s own life? Most people are not aware of how to handle the challenge, but also fail to gauge the negative impact of ignoring their mental health. There are many other reasons, some of which are listed below. If you look closely, these are the same reasons for people not participating in clean-up drives or other community initiatives. Is it a co-incidence?
Just like adding music to a celebration brings it alive, mixing a creative angle to any difficult task makes it more engaging. The Ploem walks allow us to let go of negative thoughts and replace them with a clean and clear mind. These simple but fun activities will aid you in clearing the clutter inside your head, and creating a calm space for something useful to grow in it.
This article is part of our 12 magical walks that gift you highly useful skills for life’s adventures: Nature Play>>
Clear Mind & Ploem Walks
To start off, determine the area that needs to be cleaned and get the necessary approvals if required. Fix a date and time for the cleanup. Weekends and 2 hour slots work best. Recruit volunteers through various means, and ask them to bring a trash bag, gloves, drinking water. Keep some first aid handy. (You can even try it in your own garden to start off.)
Before the actual cleanup, the group assembles in a circle and creates the repair story.
Repair Game: In a repair story alternate members add positive and negative twists to a story. The group leader starts the story with a sentence. Moving clockwise, the next person in the circle gives the story a negative turn. However, their neighbour has to lift the story up again by making something positive happen. So the story moves in twists and turns – between good and bad, until the circle is completed.
Example: Jim got lost in the forest. > But he stumbled upon a magical waterfall. > Unfortunately, he had never learned to swim. > So he sat down and composed a beautiful song instead. > A gang of ruffians heard him singing and came to rob him. > One of the gang members turned out to be his long lost love from high school…. and so on.
This ‘Repair’ game is a metaphor for the clean-up drive. Things may appear challenging when we start, but a few well intentioned people can turn things around and start the process of healing, no matter how daunting the task.
Divide the group into pairs and start the cleaning activity for 30 – 45 minutes. Also assign roles such as team leaders responsible for smaller groups and safety officers. At a pre-determined time and place the group assembles again to take a break and play the following games.
Reduce Game: Ask participants to imagine they are going on a camping trip and can only bring 5 items with them. They must choose wisely and think about how to reduce their waste and environmental impact. In the next round, they have to go hiking and can carry only 2 out of the 5 things. Then on the hike they get separated from the group and are left with only one thing. What is that one thing they will hold on to?
Recycle Game: Ask people to use the alphabets in their own name to create other words. This activity can also be done in pairs where each pair is asked to use some letters from their first names to come up with new words.
The first step in clearing our mind is to reduce the clutter inside. Setting priorities provides a sense of direction and focus. When we identify what’s most important, we can let go of non-essential things. Also learning to sort our thoughts and rearrange them teaches us to look at our problems in creative ways. These two simple games can be useful training to keep our mind clear. Prioritising and rearranging leads to reduced stress and anxiety, and increases our productivity and overall sense of accomplishment.
Before you restart the cleanup drive again do a short nature walk to appreciate the beauty around you and recharge your inner spirit. Go slow and move in silence. Open your senses to find things that bring you peace and clear your mind. On the short walk you can try out 2 more activities.
Refuse Game: Play a game of “I Spy” where players take turns spotting something beautiful and refusing to let it get spoilt. For example, “I spy a peaceful pond, and I refuse to let it get trashed.” Each participant find something new and unique to appreciate and protect. This activity also helps us observe nature through other people’s perspective.
Reuse Game: Have participants bring in any interesting item that has been thrown away. As a group brainstorm creative ways the item can be used to give it new life. For example, an old t-shirt could be turned into a reusable shopping bag, or an old book could be transformed into a lampshade.
Clearing the mind can be a very daunting task just like cleaning our surroundings. During the process the mind can be filled with negative emotions such as sadness, anger, despair. By focusing our attention on the positive things around us we are able to channelise our energies in the right direction. Adding creativity to the task helps us look at the problem with new eyes.
Resume the clean up drive in small groups or pairs. At a predetermined time and venue get everyone together for the closing activities and sharing insights with each other.
Recover Game: Each participant finds a spot in nature that calls out to them. They sit in silence for 5 minutes to recenter themselves. Try to recover a memory of the space before your clean-up drive and compare it with the current state. Then reimagine the entire cycle repeating. The park gets dirty again, but a few people come and clean it up.
Regift Poem: Each person chooses a spontaneous word that comes to mind from their experience at the clean up activity. Use the word in a 2 line poem or a haiku, to gift it back to the friend who paired up with them during the clean up activity.
Cleaning up the nature outside can have a profound impact on growing a clear mind. When we engage in activities such as picking up litter, planting trees or flowers, or tending to a garden, we become more mindful and present in the moment. We connect the laws that govern nature outside with the nature that’s inside us. This can lead to a deeper understanding of our interconnectedness with all living beings. It will also fill you with a sense of gratitude and compassion.
Remember to follow safety guidelines and regulations throughout the cleanup drive. After the cleanup, dispose of the collected trash in an appropriate manner. Recycle as much as possible and dispose of the rest in a designated landfill or waste disposal site.
At the end don’t forget to celebrate the success of the cleanup drive with the volunteers. Thank everyone for their participation and encourage them to recreate this activity in their own circles. In case you do try this walk out, please post some pictures on our facebook group or leave a comment below.
In the next few weeks we’ll add photos and poems sent by our readers to this page.
Clear Mind and Health
There is a strong link between a clear mind and our health. When our mind is clear and focused, we are better able to manage stress and anxiety, which can have positive effects on our physical health. Stress is a major contributor to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and depression. By reducing stress through practices such as mindfulness and meditation or forest bathing, we can improve our overall health and well-being.
A clear mind also allows us to make better decisions and take more effective actions towards our goals, which can have positive impacts on our physical health. For example, when we have a clear mind, we are more likely to make healthier food choices, engage in regular exercise, and get enough sleep – all of which are crucial for maintaining good health.
Additionally, a clear mind can improve our mental health, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and promoting feelings of happiness and contentment. This can have a positive ripple effect on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
There are several effective ways to achieve a clear mind. Regular exercise, such as yoga or jogging, can help reduce stress and improve focus. Meditation and mindfulness can also be helpful, as they can quiet the mind and bring a sense of calm and clarity. Getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption also promotes mental clarity. It is also helpful to take breaks from technology and engage in activities that promote relaxation and creativity, such as reading, listening to music, or spending time in nature. Overall, a combination of physical activity, mindfulness practices, healthy habits, and relaxation techniques will lead you to a clear and focused mind.
Clear Mind. Earth Mind.
A clear mind is a journey, not a destination. It is the same with cleaning our planet. The Ploem walks show you how to achieve balance and harmony through play. They combine benefits from many of the activities mentioned above in a way that is also beneficial for our Earth. We hope they offer you a joyful path to a clearer mind and a cleaner environment.
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For more activities from around the world, see: Nature Calm
Healing Forest is a volunteer run project. Our goal is to bring people and forests closer to each other through creativity and mindfulness. The aim is simple. Helping people heal. Helping forests heal.
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