Nature is a Wondrous Thing

Today's piece was inspired by a challenge from A Year in the Life of an Art Journal.  The prompt was to be inspired by the phrase, "Nature is a wondrous thing," and to use gesso on your stencil to give extra texture to your work.  The sentiment was easy - I love nature.  I love gardening.  I love being outside.  Plus, today was one of those crystalline days when the light reflects off the leave and flowers in a magical way.  Before the challenge popped up in my email, I had already paused on the way home from dropping off my daughter at school to feel my sense of self dissolve into the natural world around me.


Weeks ago, I had torn a headline out of the New York Times: "Experience the Wonders."  This seemed to sum up how I felt about the day.  Plus, this beautiful picture and quote appeared on my facebook page.  I DO believe in magic (I do, I do said the Cowardly Lion), and I see it all around me.  It fit right in with the nature prompt.  So, to start, I layered pieces of old book pages on one side of my journal.  I covered it with a thin coat of gesso, and then a thin coat of yellow acrylic paint.  I dripped spray wash down the top, and scribbled blue watercolor crayon around the sides.  I used gesso to stencil a chicken wire motif around the top and bottom (although you can hardly see it now).  I glued down the NYT title, and changed it up a little with Sakura glaze pens.  I painted the leaf in the middle, and saying around it, with acrylic paint.  Some white uniball pen to bring it all out, and it emerged.  As always, I love the prompts to get my juices flowing.

Thanks for reading!