Design by Nature: Part 1

“In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.”
- Rachel Carson

While I may not be able to name every tree and flower when on a hike or walk, there are other ways to connect to the outdoors. Nature is its own masterpiece. Just as in any design composition, we can find the seven elements of art: line, form, value, shape, color, space, and texture in the landscapes of the wild. Whether it’s the endless expanse of a golden desert, or an undisturbed forest set against a range of rugged mountains, the majestic lines and the many shades of hues can be truly breathtaking. And, if we break up those landscapes into its finer details, we see in a woodland setting, the conical-shaped tree, the 5-lobed leaf, the tough, leathery shell of an acorn. I find this awe-inspiring, for here is an interconnected world of living things each with its own story and role in the larger ecosystem.

So, the next time you’re in the wild places, take a closer look around you and take in nature’s spectacular collage of spongy fungi, iridescent feathers, intricately veined leaves, and other amazing phenomena the natural world has to offer.

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