Heroes Not Zombies

I think it’s pretty well established that being out in Nature is good for us – good for our physical and our mental health – but also good for well-being and just feeling that life is worth living.

I know that since I moved from a second floor flat in Central Scotland to a house with a garden in the Charente that I’ve been out in nature much more, that I feel closer to nature, more a part of nature even – that I feel more in tune with the birds, the seasons, the plants, the rhythms of Life and this World.

I think it’s also pretty well established that one of the aspects of being human which distinguishes us from other creatures is Art. The philosopher, Giles Deleuze said there are three ways of thinking – philosophy, which is thinking about concepts; science, which is thinking about function; and art, which is thinking about percepts and affects. I’ve always found that model useful. I enjoy all three ways! In terms of visual art I do enjoy galleries, but there’s something especially impressive I find when I come across art in Nature.

Here are some examples from a recent trip I made up to the Loire Valley –

What about you?

Have you any favourite examples of art in natural settings to share?