BRINGING NATURE INDOORS

How nature calms the mindand supports well-being 
Hello everyone!  I took the summer off writing to enjoy the beauty of hiking rivers in the Pacific Northwest, mainly Washington.  Sitting by the river and listening to nature sounds, feeling immersed in the scene, was exactly what I needed.  
Back in the studio, I enjoyed the same feelings ,as I recreated them on my canvas.  Do all artists feel this way?  What about nature is so satisfying?  One evening I started looking up the effects of nature on people and came up with some interesting info to share, especially in regards to art.  Ready?

Yikes...this doesn't look very calming! 
Ha, it's an underpainting and sketch of a new river painting.

My scientist husband will be interested to know there is science behind the calm.  We are wired to seek connection with living things and relax around water, plants, earth and sky.  This is because long ago, our  ancestor's survival depended on them.  Art that references those cues... gives the same relaxing response, even if the visual nature is pigment on a canvas. 
 
I learned about "soft fascination"...something that is interesting to hold our attention without demanding it.  Nature scenes create this soft fascination and helps the brain to recover from mental fatigue. 

Viewing natural scenes and nature art reduces stress.  Many studies have agreed on this.  And here's another interesting concept... many natural patterns, like ferns, coastlines, clouds, tree stuctures, contain fractals, or repeating shapes of differing scales.  This is also associated with stress reduction and why abstract art with those patterns feel soothing, without depicting anything literal.  Look for that next time you are visiting a gallery.  
Greens and blues are restful and earth tones feel grounding.  ​

I start adding structure and color from the top to the bottom.  My eyes see distance at the top, so essentially I see myself working from back to forward.  Adding darks in my shapes, then some lights and mid tones.  Notice how I let some of that crazy yellow green show through.  Sunshine causes interesting colors in water.

Here are some of the best places to put art for the biggest wellness impact:

Because of that 'soft fascination', the workspace is a great place for a nature piece...in your line of sight rather than behind you, on the wall.  

The entryway is perfect for a serene work of art and is a calming, first impression.

Choose tranquil scenes of horizons, water, and botanicals, in bedrooms.  Keep the scale generous without dominating.

And the  larger the landscape in your livingroom, the larger the room will seem as it draws in your focus.  Complementing this with a tactile throw and a stone vase will make the calm three-dimensional.

LULLABY IN MOTION
Finished 22x28x1.5 gallery wrapped oil on canvas.  
Multiple layers between drying times.
$950

Timeless nature referenced art honors pattern, light, texture, and breath.  You should feel it. Your shoulders should drop as your breathing slows.  
Nature-inspired art has been doing this for centuries...from cave paintings of animals to Japanese sumi-e ink washes, Arts&Crafts florals, Scandanavian folk art and today's nature photography.  Artists are returning to waves, stones, clouds, trees, and horizon lines... because they speak a visual language our bodies instinctively understand.

 
Shows & Sales
DEE DENTON GALLERY
September 29 to October 27,2025
368 S State St
Lake Oswego  97034

LOCAL 14 SHOW & SALE
October 3-5, 2025
World Forestry Center
4033 SW Canyon Rd
Portland  97225

CHARBONNEAU FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
October 10-12, 2-25
Charbonneau Country Club
32050 Charbonneau Dr
Wilsonville  97070
 
Gallery Representation
VALLEY ART GALLERY
November 7-December 31, 2025
2022 Main ST
Forest Grove
Artist Reception November 7 
6-8pm

SALEM ON THE EDGE
156 Liberty St NE
Salem,  97301

CURRENTS GALLERY
532 NE 3rd St
McMinnville, 97218

Lots of new work going to each show.
Come see what I've been working on this year!
Blessings
Patrice