What if nature is everywhere, and we’ve just forgotten what it looks like? Those pigeons that coo around the quad, pecking at the breadcrumb trail you left behind as you scuttled back into the building, the squirrel in the street-tree next to the bus stop, silently observing your daily commute, and that vacant lot on the corner that isn’t actually vacant – multiple self-willed plant and insect species have moved in and made themselves at home, peacefully living together and supporting each other.
“Guardian of The Aloes” | What if we redefined nature as a space where multiple species are simply able to live together harmoniously, whatever that may look like…
I recently watched a TED Talk by Emma Marris – an environmental writer and an Institute Fellow at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Marris’ talk has opened my mind up to a whole new way of seeing nature. She talks about how we have this preconceived notion that nature is a space untouched by man, a nationally-protected area of vastness. These spaces are often inaccessible to a lot of us. But if what is untouched by man is the only natural place, then we would have absolutely no nature left. In this day and age, man is (and has been) everywhere, and so has nature. If we take a minute to observe our current surroundings, and instead of looking past them, we might notice the pretty little flowers pushing through the pavement.
Nature is everywhere – we just need to learn to see it.
Nature is beautiful, nature is powerful, nature is all around us and even within us. I hope this beautiful poem by Silvana Franco helps you remember anew all that nature is…
Mother Gaia, by Silvana Franco
The breath in Her lungs is the wind in the Air
That blows and combs whispering fingers through my hair.
She is the Life in the summer that makes the grass dance,
And the Death in the fall that strips the trees bare.Her blood is the Water that courses through streams
Both cleansing my body and enchanting my dreams.
She is the rain that descends and dots webs with dew,
That under pale moonlight sway and gleam.Her body is the Earth that reverberates with power
And whose fertile soil gives way to the flowers.
She is at once the mountains, the meadows, the deserts and springs
Whose bewitching beauty grows more so by the hour.Her spirit is the Fire at the heart of the Earth
That kindles my soul with warmth and with mirth .
She burns with a fierceness both silent and loud
And exhales a white smoke of love and self-worth.With Earth and Water, Air and Fire
We are One with the Planet and One with the Mother.
Children of the elements in a circle we stand,
Under the loving gaze of the Goddess, our souls hand in hand.
“Mother Nature Personified” | I created these two digital artworks for our Nature Reunion campaign. This artwork now proudly rests in the Londolozi Healing House, within the Wellness room.
Christina Fox, Londolozi Healing House Head Therapist:
“Roxy has a gift for translating a vision into art. She expertly interpreted Shan and Bronwyn’s vision for the Healing House into a wall mural. With an emphasis on sacred geometry and the smaller wild creatures that inhabit the land, the design is not only aesthetically beautiful but is also intentionally designed to encourage the inward journey of each guest’s experience at Londolozi.
Mother Nature Personified, or as we like to call her “Plumbago Lady”, to me is another expression of this inward journey.
She is a powerful expression of the feminine strength and mystery of Africa; she is power and peace together.
I see in her the ever-changing gentle but persistent element of water.She is earth; grounded with the roots of a tree.And she is held by the mystery of spirit in mist. Ultimately, she is a myriad of different emotions and elements all at once.
We are thrilled that she has found her home in the Healing House Wellness room.”
Finding nature within ourselves will ultimately lead to noticing it everywhere we go. I hope today you manage to notice the small gifts Mother Nature leaves for you in your path. I would love to know your own interpretation of the artwork above. Let me know in the comments below.
So beautiful thank you Roxy. We live first of all thanks to plants and flowers are soul healers besides food for pollinators and other animals and life for more plants. They give us so much we must treasure them
Thanks for this beautiful blog Rocky, you have a precious talent transferring vision into your painting talent. Nature is our reason for living, seeing, touching, smelling and hear the different sounds out in the bush is breathtaking.
Roxy, your work is beautiful and so inspiring when viewed. Thanks for creating and sharing these pictures showing nature at its purest moments.
Roxy, you are so gifted! Not only do you draw like an angel but your writing is stunning as well. This piece is so evocative that it reminded me of how much I relied on nature to help get me thru the pandemic. Feeding and housing all of my feathered and furry woodland friends truly kept my spirit alive. Thank you for this lovely piece.
Such a beautiful article.
The Plumbago Lady is exquisite Roxy🙏. It is as if she is gently calming the stormy sky with her whispering, bringing soft rain to feed the earth and it’s creatures….and peace 💓
Mother Nature Personified and Guardian of The Aloes are such beautiful pieces of art. Roxy you are a treasure and a blessing to Londolozi. Thank you for sharing you story and your art.
I like the concept, it gives meaning to everything, what life itself is about. We live our lives contributing to the universal existence, and we die, but the global soul lives on breathing new life to the inhabitants of our planet, earth.
Astonishing as always Roxy.
Roxy , what you have created for us is beautiful as well as quite spiritual, using your artistic skills in tandem with the soulful words of Silvana Franco. For me your artwork evokes strength, fragility, connection to earth, sky, whilst expressing flora and fauna. Fortunately I see nature in my daily surroundings, from my home mini nature reserve to watching the growth of the baby geese and ducks in the pond nearby. Each day I’m visited and entertained by Sampson, my furry friend in the body of a squirrel. I look forward to seeing the mural on my next visit!
So beautifully written Roxy and a great reminder that nature is indeed all around us.
As I watch the rain come down in my drought-stricken Arizona, this piece really touched me and made my day, especially the poem about Gaia. We must take better care of Mother Earth, as She is us and we are Her. Thank you.