CED May Theme: Nature

April 26th, 2009

ced nature theme

The *totally optional* theme for the Creative Every Day Challenge in May will be Nature!

I feel like this theme flows so beautifully from the color theme in April. I already feel myself transitioning towards it as I've been taking loads of snapshots on my walks. I've been drawn to flowers blooming, patterns in trees, mushrooms growing in the ground, birds building nests, and refelections in water. So much beauty!

How can you use this theme in your creations? Well, you could use the previous themes to help you brainstorm by getting playful and writing all the ways you could intepret the theme. Perhaps you will dream something up? Or perhaps you will begin exploring the colors in your natural environment?

If you need some suggestions, I will be posting about the theme throughout the month. Here are a few ideas to get you started. You could:

  • *Take your camera for a walk in nature and snap pictures of whatever catches your eye.
  • *Use natural elements as a painting tool (paint with a stick or a feather).
  • *Draw or paint outdoors.
  • *Use a color combination from nature in a piece of art.
  • *Use the shapes of nature in a piece of art.
  • *Make prints with natural elements (leaves, potatoes, apples.)
  • *Learn about an animal you're interested in and incorporate it into an art piece.
  • *Pay attention to the rhythms of nature and reflect on them in your creations.

How to use the CED themes:

If you're feeling creatively stuck or blocked at any point during the month, use the theme as a source of inspiration to get you moving. 

Using the theme is entirely optional for CED participants. Use it if it inspires you, ignore it if it doesn't. I'll be sharing posts throughout the month around the theme (among other things) to get you thinking about how to incorporate it into your life. I'd love to hear how you use the theme in your creative world.

Feel free to focus on the theme in your creative activities for the entire month or as much as you'd like.

And have fun with it!

Nature often holds up a mirror so we can see more clearly the ongoing processes of growth, renewal, and transformation in our lives.
~Mary Ann Brussat 

p.s.The pictures in the theme image are all from a walk I took last week. Spring has definitely sprung in New England and it's so inspiring!

21 Responses

Ooooh. Nature. I think I like it.

I’ve been focused on an internal landscape for so long, I think I might like to explore the external one. Very interesting. This must take some exploration and experimentation.

Another thing that might be interesting is to explore the pattern of nature… the swirl of a mushroom cap or a leaf. The fractal of a branch or a river.

You know… this topic makes me think of science. And that makes me think of mathematics.

I may have to go outside of my comfort zone for this.

Very excited about this theme. Going on a picnic today, by a beautiful pond. Will have camera in tow.

oh i love the serendipity of things. i was already planning to do a project in may focusing on the elements (earth, air, fire, water) and this will flow quite nicely with that. i will take this as a little piece of confirmation that i am on the right path :-)

I love taking photos outside and like you, have been noticing spring has definitely arrived, even here in Ontario.
This will be a great focus for May.
Thanks again Leah.

Oh, this is a great theme. The bouquet of flowers I just did in fabric for a girlfriend fits this one. However, I shall take my camera and go for a walk and see what else I cna come up with.

Oh, this is a great theme. The bouquet of flowers I just did in fabric for a girlfriend fits this one. However, I shall take my camera and go for a walk and see what else I can come up with.

Oh this is a good theme! Its Autumn here now, so lots of cool leaves and things :o )

Hello Leah and Everyone,
I’ve just posted my final link for April’s challenge and I know exactly what I’ll be doing for May’s. In fact, you seem to have read my mind, Leah…!
Thanks again,
Janice.

OH, wonderful, I LOVE nature. SO far this year, you’ve hit the nail right on the head with your theme choices for me! YAY! In fact, I am working on a new nature poem right now (which also has play and silliness in it). YAY!

Ohh Spring has spring up there! Slowly it is waking up out here. Nature is my main inspiration so this will be a nice return to it as a focus. What a great way to get back into things after being cooped up inside and sick all April! Looking forward to it!

I have been obsesssed with my garden! How wonderful that CED has tuned into that. I would enjoy nothing more than having a blog about how my garden is growing. Woo-Hoo!

This is my first foray into your challenge and I’m so glad you picked a theme I already focus on. It will make it easier for me to keep my commitment!

I am going to tentatively join the challenge! I say tentatively because April has been a busy, whirlwind month for me and I’m so tired from it. I am also nursing a wrist injury and must rest it. But any downtime I’ve had this past month, I have spent observing nature – we have had some absolutely gorgeous days here and it has just impressed upon me all that I love about nature, and the outdoors! So I want to explore the concept of nature more, and bring its inspiration into my art. Thanks for the challenge, I am looking forward to it!

Oh this is going to be fun. At least I know I have been meaning to practice drawing trees-so this is perfect–among other new explorations.
Thank you.

I added a photo of a Bleeding Heart to my blog. Their flowers are so perfect! It might be fun to paint them in watercolor…but for another day….

This is my first comment on any blog and I am new to this but would like to join the community and the ced challenge. I am a photo artist living in Cranston, RI. I work in my studio everyday and take many photo oppourtunity trips.

I was inspired by the sermon in church yesterday…the 23rd Psalm….I used the tree of life in my journaling….

I can’t stop posting about “nature!” I just posted a photo from my Simply Blue journal….a Tree with Blue Leaves.
What if your heart was ….blue? and the sky was ….green…and …leaves were blue….and….grass was yellow…

What a wonderful theme. Here in New Zealand it is Autumn, which is my favourite season, and source of creative inspiration!

today’s post is not about nature…but if you consider the fact that clay comes from the earth…well, I guess it is about nature. :)

I made a canvas inspired in the colors of nature, the beauty of birds and the textures of the earth.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36305585@N08/3543522587/in/pool-629867@N23/?addedcomment=1#comment72157618890565408
kisses

Post a Comment