“If one really loves nature, you can find beauty everywhere”Vincent van Gough’s observation seems equally relevant today. Art can help people connect with nature and it has been shown that people who do this then work to protect it. Do people need beauty in an era of convenience, effortless travel and pervasive technology? The answer again is an emphatic ‘yes’ : our needs are different from earlier generations, but modern life has created huge stresses and mental issues, and research has again shown that access to woodland greenery and open spaces can yield significant benefits. That art can capture and communicate beauty, was shown by a recent exhibition at the Knepp Estate where artists came from all over the country to create work inspired by their re-wilding project. Art can take many forms and we are starting to explore how we can use this medium to bring people closer to nature and contribute, in many ways, to the preservation of our special landscape and wildlife habitat for future generations.
My medium is photography and, if you look closely, the variety of nature’s miraculous offering in quite a small area like the commons is astonishing: it ranges from the magnificence of a mature oak tree to the insect on a blade of grass, with complex compound eyes and infinitely delicate wing structure. The commons are constantly developing with the seasons and the years. With changing weather conditions, glade of trees that presents as serenely calm on a misty morning one day, can be tossed by a storm the next. The fresh green of the spring develops into the rich textures of summer, and the purple of the heather on the heath is followed by golden birch in the autumn. Each season has its own light, sounds and scents.
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Sharing all these elements with a local and wider audience can inspire for the future. And we would like to hear from you if you could help us achieve this.
We want to explore the potential of different forms of art, including performance as well as craft, 2D and 3D arts and so, if you have a particular skill that could help us in this work, please contact [email protected] 
Register as a volunteerYou can volunteer with us by getting stuck into practical conservation work or by doing surveys and other less strenuous tasks. Everyone is welcome, you do not need to be a member to volunteer. Register here and we can inform you of coming events and opportunities.
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Photography by Peter Searight. The Remarkable Studio
