My Childhood in Nature (pastel) by Polly Castor
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This is a highly personal painting of my childhood memories of being out in nature. Although not brought up to be religious or to have a doctrinal view of God, I regularly got this awesome sense of immensity, and light filled perspective from nature. It gave me invaluable underpinnings in spirituality, and an understanding of the dreamlike aspect of what most people consider as reality.
I feel very fortunate to have had this upbringing, and wish it for more children, although I feel it is getting only more rare. Hence I felt this childhood experience was important to paint and share, not only because it explains a lot about my early engagement with the world, but also encapsulates my hopes for other innocent hearts going forth and exploring their natural environment.
You can see the entire large (24″x36″) abstract pastel painting above, and close-up details of it below. The original is for sale; contact me if you are interested. You can also obtain prints, cards, or merchandise of it here in my gallery.
Does this painting resonate with you too, or am I alone in the profound memories this image evokes?
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3 Comments
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My time as s child and my time now in nature is not dreamlike and my time in reality is not dreamlike either! I feelmorealert in nature.
One thing I always loved as a child and still do today is sun filtering through green leaves in the forest of the northeast, down here in Texas the trees are different colors of green and the sunlight has a different quality which I don’t find as visually appealing. Down here the leaves are thicker and waxier so they are more solid and not translucent or glowing with the light. Now when I am in nature either in Texas or New England my mind is always making comparisons or opinions on how what I see is not as beautiful. Basically it brings up emotions of thinking about my move and that I am now away from a place I felt very connected to.
It’s kind of interesting that you’re painting is full of modern lab made colors instead of being natural pigments made from the earth’s minerals and isn’t just the earth tones. Your current love of those colors has influenced your palette.
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Author
Interesting, Christine. Yes, an experience of nature must be very different there. I feel I have always seen the world in technicolor that the modern colors are just catching up with, not the other way around. What I’m trying to express here is the world the way I saw it then– full of vibrancy, possibilities, expectancy, and infused with light.
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[…] am also delighted that she took four pieces of my artwork. My large painting titled My Childhood in Nature is already hanging in her living room (shown below a little off kilter from sitting on her couch). […]
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