It’s What You See

Nature is a force that inspires all artists on a daily basis. We are always surrounded and influenced by nature in some way or the other whether we realize it or not. As John Muir said, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” Previously, the great outdoors was thought of as the environment of which we were no longer a part, as a wilderness disconnected from society. Today in 2012 we know better: nature and sustainability are tied up in our very survival as a species and nature based art and design is an expression of that complex relationship that we need to further develop.

Bonsai art and plant shaping are two examples of nature based sculpture forms I recently discovered that take a bit more patience than others. There is a reward, however, since these sculptures last longer than the ones in the South Carolina Botanical Garden as a result of the years they require to construct. A properly shaped plant will survive to impress generations.

Bonsai is a Japanese art form that uses cultivation techniques to produce miniature trees grown in containers that mimic mature, full-size trees. Plant shaping involves manicuring living trees and other plants into shapes and structures that are both decorative and functional. Small buildings can even be constructed out of a living frame by carefully guiding a plant’s growth around metal support beams.

Both of these practices are characterized by a gorgeous and organic fluidity that is only natural of living art. The complicated designs of the plants require an extraordinary level of dedication and persistence, but the end results of shaping nature to fit design is well worth the effort. It is important to maintain an outlook that leads to a greater appreciation of nature, and these art forms definitely inspire fantastic wonder. I agree with the words of Henry David Thoreau, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”