Hi First name / there! I hope you're having a wonderful week.
First off, I want to say thank you for joining me in this space. I am so excited to chat with you here! Today I want to share 3 ways you can invite nature into your studio. Many of us are inspired by the earth and it’s no surprise why! Bringing nature into the studio can spark your creativity and inspiration in an indescribable way.
COFFEE! This is my favorite natural ink and it’s used in almost every painting I create. I’ll share more in a future email but to get started, use coffee on its own or mix it with paint to give it an earthiness (and wonderful smell!). Coffee provides a rich earthy brown color that looks gorgeous when dry.
Earth pigments are another great way to invite nature into the studio. I don’t have much experience in this realm but Lauren Sauder does! She has an E-Book, A Geology Of Color, that walks you through the process of foraging pigments and using them in your practice. She was generous enough to create a discount code just for you! Use the code MOLLY20 at checkout to get 20% off. I highly recommend checking out her offerings. This is not an affiliate link, I just really admire Lauren and what she does.
If foraging your own rocks for pigments sounds a bit overwhelming, head to Etsy and search for natural pigments. You can purchase pre crushed pigments and create your own paint that way. I was gifted a couple of viles and will sometimes sprinkle them into my paint. Lauren's book also offers guidelines on making paint with pigments.
When you’re on a walk start paying attention to the branches on the ground or on the trees. I’m often very distracted on my walks and come home with a cool twig or leaf that caught my eye. Nature is FULL of inspiration if we take a moment to slow down and soak it all in. I use branches to decorate my studio and to use as photoshoot props. See photo above. Having bits of nature in the studio can help you feel grounded and more at peace with your art practice, whether you notice it or not.
Use branches, rocks, or grass as mark making tools. Collect some tall grass, dip it in paint, and see what kind of marks it makes on the canvas.
Sand: Once you've put a layer of paint down, sprinkle sand on top to give a rough texture. Depending on the look I'm going for, I'll either sand it down, once dry, or leave it as is. Try sprinkling sand on parts of the painting, while leaving the other parts smooth. This will give your painting subtle contrast in a unique way.
Limestone powder:Check out this Reel to see how I use limestone powder to start a painting. I also love to create a mixture of white gesso, water or coffee, fluid acrylic paint and limestone powder. This combination results in a buttery smooth consistency that gives off a neat texture once dry. I will share more on this in a future video but I encourage you to explore this medium now because it's so dreamy.
Charcoal: The past two hiking trips I took I collected charcoal. It’s so fascinating knowing that parts of those locations can be used in a painting, bringing the soul of those places into the art. I scribble big bold marks of charcoal and water it down with coffee and paint. Play around and see what comes of it!
NATURE AS CEREMONY
I signed up for Meredith's 4-week live gathering for visionaries & creatives — An inward retreat to bring your genius into fruition by re-grounding into your true nature. Her cart closes on March 31st! I would love to see you in there with me. It's going to be magical.
Check out Meredith's other offerings on her site! I purchased a custom re-grounding mediation from her last year and love it. If you need something to listen to to bring you back to nature before you jump into the studio, I would highly recommend it. I am so glad Instagram connected us.
First name / friend, thank you again for being here. I hope you enjoyed reading this email! If you have other ways you invite nature into your studio, reply to this email or send me a DM on Instagram. I would love to hear what you do!
