Things from my yard

Things from my yard, originally uploaded by Elizabeth Smith.

There is never a shortage of subject matter in nature! These found items represent microcosms of life and activity.

The oak branch and acorn are from a live oak tree (Quercus virginiana) - food and shelter to squirrels, birds, and insects, not to mention support for various lichens and mosses.

The passionvine (Passiflora suberosa) is a native that is continually popping up in my yard; it's a larval food for butterflies in our area such as the Gulf Fritillary and the Julia. I'm pretty sure songbirds eat the berries, and maybe some other critters, too.

Slash pine needles are everywhere on the ground. Each winter the pine trees seem to shed quite a few. I see them turning up in fallen bird's nests, such as this nest I sketched after a pouring rain knocked it down.

I'm not sure if anything eats the necklace pod (Sophora tomentosa) seeds, but I know that bees and butterflies love the nectar from it's bright yellow pea-like flowers.

Lately, it seems that mourning dove feathers are becoming a common occurrence. Are they molting this time of year? Maybe we just have more moving into the area, or perhaps the neighbor cat has been busy.

Fossil shells are fairly common in Florida. This one probably arrived in a load of fill, but it perfectly symbolizes the fact that our part of Florida was once an underwater ecosystem.

I picked these up at first just to draw them as interesting objects in themselves, but somehow the process of drawing and reflection opened up a whole new world. I think I could explore my entire yard and still not fully understand the little worlds within!

You can click on the image above to view it larger on my Flickr photostream.

MATH AND ART?

Growing up, I always felt challenged by math. I know now that it was due to a combination of factors: trying to learn “new math” after moving from a school that taught “old math” and never having the time to learn certain fundamentals. In the working world I learned to use math in a functional way, although I often came up against what I call “math block,” my belief that I was not any good with numbers. I believe that quite a few artists may feel challenged by mathematics and the hard sciences – what about you?

Throughout the years, I discovered that I actually had an innate sense of math and pattern – imagine my surprise! In fact, I use and manipulate numbers quite a bit in my artwork and sketchbooks. Consciously introducing and using math in nature art journals is a wonderful way to expand knowledge and application of numbers in real-world experiences. It’s an interdisciplinary practice that’s useful for home schooling, nature camps, art and math classes, personal journals and sketchbooks, science observations, and scout projects.

Here are some ways to use math with your nature art sketchbook entries:

1. Counting
2. Measuring
3. Comparing
4. Finding patterns and relationships

Click here for a PDF document that lists more specific ways to use each one of these categories. I would love to hear your experiences with math and art, and how you use them together. Better yet, share them with us all!