I enjoy running drawing workshops in nature. It is wonderful to be sat by a river listening to its rhythm, or in a woodland full of birdsong. It is a calm and natural environment and is the perfect space for stress free creativity. A few hours spent drawing in nature is akin to deep meditation. Contemplation of nature is also a contemplation of yourself.
I will ask the students to draw a tree. They might start drawing the whole of the tree which might seem too much. So I ask them to zoom more into the tree and find areas that they are attracted to. They do this and start to draw. I watch them. Most of the time whilst drawing they look at their paper. Because of this they are not fully seeing the tree. I ask them to stop, and look more at the tree. I tell them that they should be alternating their view every few seconds from tree to paper and so on. This way they really look at the object and observe it rather than just assuming they know what it looks like.
We often forget to actually look fully at something and so assume we know how it looks. When we spend time looking deeply at something we see how incredible and unique it actually is. So instead of an ash tree in a field we see an individual tree in a field. We pour our eyes over its twisting rough surface and see all its beautiful patterning that is unique to that individual tree. By fully seeing we start to connect with that tree and see it as a personality. This is the same for us too. How often do we really look at each other and see that beautiful and unique person in front of us. When you do this you connect at a deeper level with that person, tree, plant, deer, stone, river, and all of the rest of nature…….
Try it yourself:
Go into nature and find a tree. Spend time just looking at the tree. Touch the tree too. Run your hands over its undulating surface and feel its life force. Make yourself comfortable. Become aware of yourself being there and what insights come to you. “Learn” to see the tree as it really is. If you have more time then draw a small area of the tree you are attracted to. Enjoy, and listen for the deep silence in you, and around you, that carries insight.