Thursday, November 24, 2011

Feel better outside, feel better inside

Sweet chestnut owl Summerfield woods 2010

Chemin de St Jacques France 2009


In October I blogged about the leaf pictures my family and I made while out for a walk in Summerfield woods. You can see the owl I made in my banner above. I made an owl in the same woods exactly one year before this one. Now that my son is four I'm finding it easier to do fun activities like this. Before, he wasn't really able to join in and hated it when my attention was on anything other than him. I couldn't take photographs either. He was two when we went on holiday to France. We came across the Way of St. James and cycled along the medieval route for a short while. We arrived at a lookout point with a standing stone in a huge field of grapevines.  I had the notion to make a heart with some of the stones piled at the base of it. I thought it would be fun for someone to come along and find it. The day was still, hot and hazy. I arranged the stones carefully while my son pulled on my leg and complained.

Land art by Richard Shilling

Land art by Richard Shilling
I have just come across an amazing, inspiring land artist called Richard Shilling. His hanging leaf sculptures look like exquisite stained glass. Lots more beautiful pictures on his website. I'm also really excited by his site Land Art for Kids which has lots of great information and ideas on there. His book he created with Julia Brooklyn, 'Land Art for Kids in the Woods' is all I want for Christmas.

15 comments:

  1. Hi, thanks for visiting my blog also. I love yours too! You have inspired me to get more arty with the landscape. Land Art.. what a beautiful idea! I love when people create something arty A) because they love doing it and B) just for someone else to stumble upon. Beautiful! X

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  2. Thank you Rachael. So glad we found each other. I'm looking forward to seeing your and your kid's creations! And more of your surrounding landscape. x

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  3. Lorna I love this site that you've flagged up! I'm forever leaving land art for other people to (hopefully) notice. My son loved to help when younger as do my nieces little ones. It's a great way for children to be kept busy when outdoors and gives them a sense of purpose and fun. Brilliant! (May join you in asking for this book for christmas!)

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  4. Ooh, have you got any photos? Maybe we should start veg patch art, I'm sure some fun pictures could come from that.

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  5. Those leaf sculptures are amazing. It's always fun to stumble on someone's land art, I'm sure the stone heart will have made someone's day.

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  6. I love coming across sculptures when you least expect them particularly in woods. The nearest I have come to doing anything like that is to hang drift wood from my fruit trees. I particularly like the stained glass window type ornaments made with leaves. Beautiful with the light shining through them.

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  7. Thanks Richard!

    That's a lovely idea Elaine, I bet it looks great.

    There are so many possibilities with land art. You never know what you are going to come across each time you go out into the wild. I love the idea of making use of whatever you find when you're out there. Making something spontaneously.

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  8. Great ideas, and yes, I meant to say, I Love the owl! So clever.
    Veg patch art... hmmm, sounds like a great idea!!! I am cooped up in side at the moment as it is so so windy here and I don't like it on little bit!! 130km hr winds... in miles is that about 80 I think... There will be plenty of possible art materials scattered around the place I am sure!! anyway... keep up that beautiful work, it makes the world such a nicer place. :)

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  9. Batten down the hatches Rachael, that sounds scary. Hope you don't find an upside down house in your garden next time you venture out!

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  10. hehe... plenty of huge tree limbs everywhere. I am a little pleased actually as my husband has been telling me off for not planting my corn out yet and I have been trying very hard to hold off until my moon calendar gives me the all clear... Now, had the been out, they all would have been snapped in half for sure! Gosh I hope the moon doesn't trick me this year! Maybe we should try making some land art wind chimes! :)

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  11. Oh that was lucky would have been awful to lose your corn. Mine was chewed by badgers, but I was expecting it to while hoping it wouldn't so wasn't too upset. Funny that you're just putting corn out when our plots are dying down. x

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  12. Wow, the leafy owl and land art is so inspiring and brings a smile to your heart. Thank you so much for sharing warmth.

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  13. Thank you for your lovely comment Shaheen. :)

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  14. The land art pieces are stunning!

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