Art Inspired by the Ecuadorian Cloud Forests
Me stopping for a break after a long at the Los Cedros Reserve
How being in nature influences my art and how ‘The Rainforest Collection’ was born:
This was the first collection I made as a newly self- employed artist. It was born from revisiting memories of my time spent volunteering in the ‘Los Cedros Reserve’, part of the Western Ecuadorian Rainforests back in 2007-2008.
I remember arriving with my backpack in a dusty neighbouring south- east town called Chontal after a 3-hour bus journey and waiting a further 2 hours to meet local guide, Fausto who collected me and led us up the mountains via mule- back into the most awe inspiring, emotion evoking, Jurassic- like landscape I had ever seen. I suddenly felt very small. But I was incredibly excited and instantaneously fell in love with this magical place. The most remarkable thing I found out about this reserve is that it is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and home to more species than other entire countries put together!
“Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye... it also includes the inner pictures of the soul” ~ Edvard Munch
When I started to revisit my time there, looking at photos I took and journals I wrote, I was immediately inspired to start recording my memories of being there through my artistic voice. At first my work started out much less abstract and I would often draw actual ‘things’, such as birds, animals and flora and fauna. As my exploration of my time there developed, I found myself focusing less on the form of what I was drawing, but more on the colours, shapes and patterns I was creating. I love that nature gives us such a broad spectrum of all of these things. I find it peaceful and comforting to close my eyes and take myself immediately back there, listening to the ‘noise of nature’ as well as taking in all of the abundant diverse smells and colours that the reserve houses. All of these very sensory thoughts and feelings come out in my artwork and this is how the collection was ‘born’.
“Art is a harmony parallel with nature” ~ Paul Cezanne
For me, despite having studied, as well as practised art for a very long time, creating this collection was a pivotal moment in which I found my artistic voice and understood what it was driven by; a passion for being in nature and the sense of calm and freedom it gave to me.
“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance” ~ Aristotle
I hope you enjoy looking at my art as much as the joy I have found in creating it. Art is more than just a drawing or panting of what you see; it is a feeling, a memory, a place to gather your thoughts, a way of expressing an experience, as well as emitting these feelings outwards for others to take in.
We NEED to protect our planet:
Unfortunately, I was deeply saddened that when I initially revisited my time at the Los Cedros Reserve I learned that it has since become at significant and immediate risk of being destroyed by mining companies who have already started to house themselves in the neighbouring villages. I immediately wanted to help in any way possible despite how far away I was. I contacted Jose DeCoux, the founder of the reserve who I lived with during my time there and he put me in touch with UK based charity, Rainforest Concern who he had since built a strong relationship with to gain more support in helping protect this amazing place. I am now proudly, a Corporate Supporter for Rainforest concern and donate 10% of every sale I make to them. I know that my money goes directly to helping protect Los Cedros as well as the native people who live there. They also support many more of the world’s rainforests and you can find out more by visiting their website.
A piece from ‘The Rainforest Collection’ was also entered into two competitions in 2021 and I was shocked to be one of 12 finalists in the summer 2021 ‘Wraptious’ competition out of over seven thousand people. I also created two pieces for the annual Explorers against Extinction, ‘Sketch for Survival’ competition, with one making it into the ‘Conservation Collection’.
Can you help our Rainforests too?
Visit Rainforest Concerns website to find out about the various ways you can help protect our planet:
https://www.rainforestconcern.org/
Find out more about the Los Cedros reserve here:
