NATURE AS INSPIRATION

I keep a file of color schemes I like. I use them when designing a new collection, painting on a new canvas, or even sketching. My color reference file includes many pages ripped from magazines; new products, interiors, or advertisements.

However, nature is the best inspiration.

Artists have always been inspired by nature. God knew what he was doing, didn’t he?

Take for instance my brand colors. I spent a lot of time thinking about what colors best represented Barefoot Studios. The blues and greens are intentionally taken from the sky, water and trees because I want to convey the calmness and relaxation I feel most in nature. Any coincidence that they are all cool colors?

Nah.

Need a fresh color scheme?

Take a cue from the flowers in your yard; blue or purple hydrangeas with a touch of green, brown and gold Black-Eyed-Susans, purple and yellow irises. Nature as inspiration. Always. Think sunsets, tropical fish, and autumn in Connecticut.

Not only has nature inspired many of my color schemes, it inspires ME! If I’m grumpy (rarely happens, but just say that it did). All I need is to do is take a walk through the tree-filled trail near my house, cross over the bridge to the lake, or drive over the Intracoastal Waterway to the beach, my car windows open.

My breaths get deeper, my mind calmer, my thoughts clearer, my outlook brighter.

My dad always said that he felt as close to God in the woods as he did in church. He was a hunter and fisherman and loved the outdoors and traipsing through the woods as much as anything. We spent many unfortunate weekends camping when I was a kid. We spent many hours by the water. My parents, brother and grandma fishing. My grandpa and me lying in hammocks – me reading, him sleeping. I call those weekends ‘unfortunate’ because as a prissy teenager, I hated them, not being able to wash my hair, nothing to do–BORING.

Oh, how I long for BORING now! It would take me a while to adjust from my carpool, iPhone, computer-filled life, but with water, trees, a good book and a view.

I think I’d figure it out soon enough.

Photo: Ashley Sellner

Want to read more about living creatively? This post is about one of my favorite places and the story behind the series I painted.