How Nature Inspires My Artwork

I often tell people I grew up outside. When I was two, we moved to rural Alabama and the outdoors quickly became my playground, my classroom, and my sanctuary. My dad, a botanist, taught us how so much about nature—not just to look at it, but to notice it, to respect it. We spent so much time outside hiking through the woods on my family’s land in Blount County, I think that's really what created my foundation for my love for nature. (Pictured above: my parents property in Hayden, Alabama)

To this day, the natural world is still my greatest source of inspiration. It’s where I go to feel grounded—whether I’m deep on a trail surrounded by trees, listening to birdsong and rustling leaves, or standing at the edge of the ocean watching the light dance across the water. Even scuba diving—something I fell in love with a few years ago—feels like an extension of that connection. It’s just another magical world within nature I get to witness. (Pictured above: Cloudland Canyon, Georgia. One of our favorite places to camp)

Most mornings, I try to sit outside with a cup of coffee and my journal (and if I have time in the evenings, I'm back out there again!). I take walks on the trails near my home, snapping photos of little moments that catch my eye—sunlight through branches, beautiful wildflowers, unexpected color combinations that feel harmonious and alive. Someone once said, “Nothing in nature clashes,” and I’ve held onto that. Nature’s palettes are endlessly perfect. (Pictured above: beautiful wildflowers found on the trail. My dog Francie sitting beside me on our back porch.)

I don’t always paint a specific scene or plant or place. More often, I try to paint how I feel in nature. The peace. The joy. The fondness you feel when something reminds you of a moment, a person, or a place that mattered. My art is less about replicating nature and more about honoring the feeling it gives me—and hopefully giving that feeling to others. (Pictured above: a piece from a new collection of work inspired by a favorite trail at Red Mountain Park in Birmingham, Alabama)

 

While I’d love to be painting outside more often, life right now—with a little kiddo and a small business—means I spend most of my creative time in the studio. But even there, nature surrounds me. I bring it in through photos I’ve taken, wildflowers from local farms, and memories of hikes I’ve loved. Right now, I’m working on a collection inspired by some of my favorite trails I’ve explored, and it’s been such a joy to revisit those places through brush and ink. (Pictured above: Caedon LOVES to collect rocks when we hike! Flowers from a local flower farm.)

If my work brings you peace, joy, or a sense of recognition—like it reminds you of someone you loved or somewhere you’ve been—then I’ve done what I set out to do. 💫

As John Muir said, “The mountains are calling and I must go.”

Warmly,

Amanda