This is a nature study I did back home. I have made a gift to myself : a mini aquarelle set from Faber Castell which is totally portable and has a water brush included. You insert water into the tube of the brush and you can watercolor on the go. I bought this with the intention to spend more time in nature and to try to paint outside of my comfort zone, to not put pressure on myself that my art should be perfect.
I have spent most of my days before leaving to Denmark in nature, sitting alone in the forest and painting/reading. I have found comfort in the idea of not having to sit indoors to paint. I came to resent more and more the confinement of concrete walls when it was about being creative. I also used and use my alone time to analyse my life choices and work on myself as a person.
I took these oak leaves and turned them into my "model of the day". I did not even made a sketch with my pencil, I went straight with color.
The more I want to paint things from nature the more I realize how much it has helped me to have the talent that I have.To be able to put all of my energy, whether it was joy or despair, into the act of painting.
I admire nature because of its complexity. If I look at an oak leaf 1 hour from now I will discover new things, things I did not see earlier. It helps me to get better focus and calm my overthinking mind. I have days when I wish I would spend the entire working hours outdoors. I feel a strong connection with the wild, like somehow I belong there. It's odd to explain, but as I wake up I always make the effort to figure out how I can spend more time outside. And I make the effort. And I go. It makes me more balanced and it restores my energy. I know how a full day spend indoors feels like and I don't want to be that person anymore. It takes extra effort to wake up earlier, but it is worth it.