BE STILL ... AND NATURE WILL COME TO YOU
- Rachel Singleton
- Apr 30
- 3 min read
In the last blog I wrote about the power of being a quiet observer in Nature. Something happens when we take a few steps into a wild and natural setting, and settle in there for a while. It could be just an nondescript piece of scrubland, a hedgerow, a meadow, a forest, an old quarry or a disused railway. It needs to be somewhere that isn't manicured and tamed, but is full of plants and wild life, and the hum and bustle of insects.
When we enter into a wild space such as this we want to take time to attune our senses. As we do something magical happens:
When we fall quiet inside, the Natural world begins to absorb our presence
and we become part of the weave of things.
We are suddenly in amongst it all, integrated and part of it. Insects come closer, birds alight in the branches in front of us, a rustling accompanied by a thin piping squeak tells us that a shrew is going about its business nearby. Life moves in around us and we can simply sit and watch the show.
SPRING INSPIRATION
These quiet moments of connection with nature are what inspire my artwork. When I return to my studio, I seek to capture not just the visual beauty of what I've seen, but that feeling of wonder that comes from being in the presence of a wild creature and being accepted as part of the natural order of things.
Each brushstroke translates the silent conversation between observer and observed.
At this time of year, I find inspiration everywhere. Doesn't springtime just thrum with energy and noise?! In the bird world, the summer migrants arrive at this time - redstart, pied flycatcher, warblers, and cuckoo, and then at last the swallows and swifts. The air is full of song: chiffchaffs, robins, blackbirds, warblers, thrushes and tits, all proclaiming their presence and their territory.
Some of my most recent work - featured in this newsletter - is all about capturing these fleeting moments of energy and life. Flickers of vivid colour and presence.
THE HEART SPEAKS A LANGUAGE
It seems to me that there are two sides to being the quiet observer.
When I settle down in a wild and natural environment, and gently sink into the energy, letting it infuse me fully, I feel a profound sense of peace and connection.
But in recent weeks, I've begun to wonder: does a loving gaze also touch that which is gazed upon? When we sit in our hearts and lovingly attend What Is, does that loving attention filter out, does it call, does it soothe?
Is it not just the observe who benefits, but also that which is gently observed?
Walking up the lane outside our house two nights ago, the tawny owls were calling. I realised one was just above my head. Looking up, I could barely make out its silhouette in the dusky gloom. I called back - to my ears, not sounding at all like it, but it immediately answered.
To my astonishment, it flew silently into the tree in front of me and called again. I felt a swelling of love in my heart and quietly sent this love to the owl, connecting from my heart to its. I looked up, and I could see its head bending over as it looked down at me. We stayed like that for some time - in a communication that dissolved the barriers of two very different species. At last, I continued quietly on our way, and it on its, but I felt the awe of this encounter all evening.
As we move deeper into spring, I invite you to find your own quiet moments in nature – and perhaps let one of my paintings serve as a daily reminder of that connection. Visit my website shop to see current available works or contact me about commissioning a piece of an animal or bird you love, wild or tame.
May you find moments of stillness where nature reveals itself to you.
YOUR THOUGHTS
I’d love to hear from you—does my art help you feel closer to Nature? Am I doing my job?!
Let me know. Please feel free to comment if you’d like to share your impressions. Or reach out and contact me if you would like to know more about any of the paintings in this post.
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