Hello dear friend, I am currently taking some time out in Thailand, exploring and finding my own little sanctuary in nature. I will be sharing some insights when I return later on this month.
So as a new season is unfolding, I thought I would share some ideas on finding your own sanctuary in nature.
I love to discover little nature sanctuaries when I travel, but there are also so many, right on our own doorstep.
This podcast is Episode #9 on the listening list and includes your FREE monthly Coloring page and ideas on finding your own sanctuary in nature.
Download your FREE March Coloring page below.
Welcome to A Creative Connection with Nature and this little corner of mine in the online world with me, Louise Gale.
I am a Mixed Media Artist and most of my time here will be spent sharing the little creative ways I weave nature into my art practice. I will also be exploring and sharing little snippets of inspiration for you to explore your own.
Read the full blog post at louisegale.substack.com (If you are receiving this via email, it may be cut off at the bottom)
A Sanctuary in Nature
A sanctuary in nature is a place of peace, refuge and renewal found within our beautiful natural world. It is a place which can be beside a stream, on a quiet beach, on a mountaintop, a field full of wild flowers, a space where you can disconnect from the noise and distractions of everyday life and reconnect with yourself and the natural world around you.
Providing you with a sense of stillness, where the only sounds could be birdsong, leaves blowing in the breeze or the gentle flow of waves on the shore. Sounds that invite quiet contemplation, relaxation, and a feeling of being connected with nature.
Not just about physical isolation; it’s about the feeling of harmony, knowing and connection that the space provides. Whether it’s a vast, untouched wilderness or a quiet corner of a local park, what makes it a sanctuary is the way it allows you to slow down, breathe deeply, and feel at peace.
Above image: A beautiful spot beside the Lily pond - At the Omega Institute, update NY.
When we spend time in nature, our connection to mother earth deepens, it heals us.
Our body hums a sweet harmony, our breath slows down and our heart beats in time with the song of the earth. We feel connected. Free. As one. Complete. A sanctuary in nature that is our ‘home’. Being in nature is our natural existence and over time many feel that the human race has become more and more distant from that connection.
Technology has opened up an amazing world of opportunities and connections, which can often become a constant distraction from our human bond with the natural world. As our time in technology increases, so does the need for re-connecting with mother earth. A connection that is needed more that ever.
My Art Studios are also Sanctuaries, surrounded by Nature.
I am so fortunate to have a wonderful studio overlooking the sea, at the beach in southern Spain. This has fuelled so much inspiration for me over the last 10 years. It is in my apartment, is teeeny tiny, but I still manage to paint huge canvases, record my online classes, store art materials and work from here, overlooking this gorgeous view.
When I changed my living arrangements last year, now splitting my time between my home in Spain and my mums place in the UK, one of the first things I thought about when I arrived back in the UK, was how I would create a little creative sanctuary surrounded by nature.
Image: Bringing the feeling of nature inside in my UK Garden Art Studio
This is how my UK Garden Art Studio (at the bottom of my mums garden) began its journey! My boyfriend and I (and initial help from a local carpenter!) spent time here and there during Sept.2023- July 2024, renovating my dads old shed (which was almost falling down) into my new Art Studio and Sanctuary!
It was a project that at the beginning felt impossible, but I had a vision and I am so happy that I stuck to making that vision come to life! I also wanted to preserve the shed that my father loved so much and spent so much time in, during those long summer days.
The little studio is surrounded by nature and I wanted to create the feeling of having nature inside with me also. It is a sanctuary for me.
Here is a short peek inside. You can find all of the progress videos seeing it all unfold on my Youtube playlist here.
Even when I find myself roaming around a new country, I always find my favorite places, a perfect little sanctuary in nature. That feeling of being completely connected with earth, nature, oneself. Being grounded. Often in busy cities, there are little pockets of nature sanctuaries that you find along the way. And how wonderful these are.
Below is one I found just off one of the many busy, dusty streets of Kuta in Bali. This became my go to place of peace and being surrounded by all of those blooms was heavenly.
The hanging blossoms also fuelled some creative inspiration for me. I pin point my current obsession with painting falling blossoms to Bali!
They always find their way into my canvases and when they do, I am transported right back to these nature sanctuaries. Above and below are a few paintings with my falling blossoms.
Image: Mini painting on coffee stained paper. Little sketches I made in Costa Rica with limited art materials.
Both Blossoms AND beaches are ALWAYS a sanctuary for me.
I longed to live by the sea for many years and that became a reality in 2013 when I purchased my apartment in Spain. Barefoot walks on the beach, seeing the ever changing view of the sea from my studio and having so much inspiration on my doorstep to be found and collected.
When I am overseas, time spent at the beach is where I find peace and stillness. I have 100s of photos of sunsets from when I was in Costa Rica. It was a ritual for our little group to meet there at sunset every evening. A magical memory.
Image: Just one of the glorious sunsets in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. A beach that would normally be busy, but at peace in 2020.
Nature is such a strong influence in my art.
Alot of my artwork is inspired by the healing energy we receive with tranquil time spent in nature. Cascading blooms, quiet places to contemplate, seaside serenity, flourishing gardens and scapes that bring us back to a calm place within our space.
Image: “Quiet Waters” Acrylic on canvas inspired by the sea views in Spain.
What are some of your most favorite moments in nature? How do you remember feeling in these moments? How does nature influence your own art making?
Where are Your Sanctuaries in Nature?
Above image: A page from my Spring Clean Your Life Journal Art Class.
Think about how you feel when you find yourself in nature. What natural environments light you up the most? The smell of a forest after a rainfall? The salty air on your lips when you walk on the beach? Maybe the colors of wild flowers in the countryside?
5 ideas to discover /create your own sanctuary in nature
Wake Up Early with the Sun and for Solitude
Waking with the sun is a wonderful way to connect to nature. The start of a new say. Even popular nature spots can feel like sanctuaries during early mornings, when the light is soft, the air is fresh, and the world feels still. Only the birds and the breeze as your companion. If you prefer to awake later than the sun, choose a place that feels peaceful and away from distractions—this could be a garden, a clearing in the woods, a lakeside, or maybe even a quiet corner of a park. Look for places where you feel safe and undisturbed.Surround Yourself with Nature’s Elements
To create a sanctuary at home or in your studio, you can make small changes to encourage a deeper connection with nature by adding natural elements:
Water: A small fountain or a birdbath can enhance tranquility.
Plants & Flowers: Native plants attract birds and butterflies, making your space feel more alive.
Rocks & Wood: Natural materials create a grounding and earthy atmosphere.
In my UK studio, I hung silk flowers and wysteria to bring that sense of being in nature inside.
Use Sound to Enhance Peacefulness
Pay attention to natural sounds—wind through trees, chirping birds, or flowing water. If you're in an urban area, consider wind chimes or a small water feature to try and mask any city noise you may have.
Engage Your Senses
Touch: Walk barefoot on the grassor sand when you can. Feel tree bark (hug a tree or two!), or dip your hands in water.
Sight: Arrange your space with calming colors like greens, blues, and earth tones. You can also bring nature inside with flowers in a vase, or driftwood you find at the beach.
Smell: Incorporate fragrant flowers, herbs (lavender, rosemary), or even essential oils.
Hearing: Let nature’s sounds guide you, or play soft, ambient nature sounds if needed.
Limit Distractions
Keep phones on silent, avoid bringing work-related thoughts, and focus on being present in you nature sanctuary. Use your sanctuary as a place for deep breathing, meditation, or simply sitting in stillness. Journaling or sketching can also be a wonderful way to connect to yourself and nature. .Let your sanctuary be a place where time slows down.
And as a bonus idea….Visit or spend time in your sanctuary regularly
Sanctuaries become more meaningful the more time you spend in them. Whether daily, weekly, or whenever you need a reset, make it a ritual to return. If like me, you make your art making space into a sanctuary, it will be the most wonderful healing and creative place to be.
Simply open the door to your own sanctuary in nature, no matter where that may be.
I hope I have given you some ideas and if you have a favorite space, sanctuary or natural place you love, please do share with me. I would love to hear your thoughts.
If you’ve read this far, I want to let you know how grateful I am that you make space inside your inbox and day for my newsletters.
Thank you again for being a subscriber. Wishing you so much love and feel free to ask me any creative questions at all!
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