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The Colours of Nature
Ben Wardle • Apr 14, 2021
The celebration of nature thought art, photography, music and literature plays an important part in deepening our connection with the great outdoors. Here WildEast’s first Resident Artist Ben Wardle explains how paintings can help spark conversations around biodiversity, and why spring is his favourite time of year.
Painting nature through the seasons
“Painting is a science, and should be pursued as an inquiry into the laws of nature. Why, then, may not landscape painting be considered as a branch of natural philosophy, of which pictures are but the experiments?” John Constable
The process of painting is a way of expressing feelings that are difficult to put into words. Pretentious as it may sound, that’s how it’s always been for me. During a global pandemic that has changed the course of all of our lives, many have found connecting with nature to be one of the main opportunities for escape. It has helped us regain a sense of perspective during the monotony of lockdown. I’ve always painted nature; it is what keeps me grounded when all other logic escapes me.
I’m lucky to have been given the opportunity to have an Art Residency on the Somerleyton estate, in conjunction with WildEast. I’ll be painting several landscapes on the estate over four seasons, observing changes, and exploring how I feel about each painting when it is completed. Art is a great way of starting conversations, and that’s where these short blogs come in.
How do you feel about the painting above? You don’t have to like them! But if you don’t, why? What does the subject material say to you? Are we too disconnected from our natural environment? Do you even care? Can we reconnect? What practical things can we all do to slow climate change? How can we make those that don’t understand the significance of climate change (and by default the Covid 19 epidemic) sit up, take note and make (if they can) significant lifestyle changes?
Art doesn’t have to be pretentious. I’m not really looking to make edgy political statements or groundbreaking philosophical observations. I paint this first residency offering (above) simply because I initially wanted to paint some Snowdrops because I never have before.
I have visited Ashby Dell on several occasions over the last 20 years. Its timelessness is reassuring. I tried to paint those memories; to preserve them, and give them life. It is easy to see negatives in the world (I’m generally an expert at doing just that) but for me, Snowdrops are representative of optimism; of new starts, regeneration, positivity. In an era when we have found a vaccine, a young generation (led by the wonderful Greta) is spearheading climate change action, a conservation movement that has never been stronger (go WildEast!) and a population and leadership unusually open to making positive changes, it seems a good place to start.
WildEast Blog
Broad bushy hedges, or WildEdges , can become substantial ecological assets whilst increasing crop productivity for the farmer. WildEast estimate that 5% (62,500 hectares) of the 20% of wildlife habitat required, could come from WildEdges. Working together, WildEast and Land App will equip farmers with the toolkit that they need to transform their farmland hedges into rich wildlife habitat. 80% of the WildEast footprint is agricultural land. WildEast and LandApp aim to enable landowners to broaden hedges to increase space for wildlife. If you're having difficulty viewing the below Wild Story, please head here.