How does nature manage to put our minds at ease? It’s a fascinating question, if you ask me, one that influences my work more than any other as I go out into nature and strive to create art that can be a refuge for exhausted minds. It’s a question I believe we need to answer before we dive into the strategies of how to use calming nature art to create your own zen space — whether that’s a calming bedroom, a relaxing living room or a spa-like bathroom.
You see… I believe that in order to make it through the tough times in our lives and the stressful parts of our days, our souls need to be reminded of the beauty that is all around us. And if you are reading this, I will go out on a limb and assume that the place where you go to seek beauty and feel at peace is in nature, too.
But why is nature such an escape? Why are we so drawn to its aesthetic beauty? Stephen Kellert has a few ideas. The Yale professor emeritus has spent his life studying the human need for nature. In his book Birthright, he writes: “Nature is a reflection of harmony and perfection in a world where the opposite is the norm.” Natural beauty helps us navigate complexity in life, says Kellert, who also happens to be one of the leading global experts in the art of nature-based Biophilic Design. “It introduces simplicity into an unruly world — and all of a sudden, we start seeing our own problems that way, too.” Nature puts our problems into perspective.
There is actual science behind that soothing sensation, of course. Turns out, there is a pathway at the base of the brain that leads from the eye to the part of the brain where what we see is finally constructed into a scene, writes Esther Sternberg in Healing Spaces — The Science of Place and Well-Being. That pathway is opiate-rich, and when it gets stimulated by a beautiful scene, those nerve cells become active. “It’s your own brain, giving you a morphine high,” writes Sternberg, who has done extensive research on the brain’s stress response.
While that’s fascinating, you don’t need a PhD to think about your connection to nature. Our need for natural beauty has long inspired artists, poets, and authors — the world’s leading transcendent thinkers. “To the body and mind which have been cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal,” Emerson wrote in Nature. “In the eternal calm of the sky and the woods, he finds himself.”
So let’s see how you can use fine art nature photography to create a room with a view, shall we? A view that induces Emerson’s eternal calm — so you can find yourself more often.
Which artworks make us the most relaxed?
When it comes to using calming nature art to create your own zen space, not every artwork is created equal. Which artworks make us the most relaxed and are, therefore, best suited for a calming home that feels like a peaceful retreat?
Jackson Pollock is one of the most recognized and recognizable figures in the abstract expressionist movement. And, as it turns out, long before scientists understood which artworks make us the most relaxed, Pollock was already creating them. At first glance, his art looks anything but relaxing — it looks chaotic, in fact. But look closer, and you’ll start to understand that his signature style is inspired by the same way nature relaxes us.
“We are drawn to organized complexity,” writes Stephen Kellert in Birthright — People And Nature In The Modern World. In nature, Kellert says, that organized complexity is represented in so-called fractal patterns, repeating lines and shapes that help our stressed eyes make sense of the world around us. Common fractal patterns in nature are snowflakes, leaves on a tree, and water ripples.
Are you starting to understand why art showing beautiful fall colors (like GUARDIAN ANGEL) enthralls us and why we can stare at a reflection on the water for hours on end (like THE FANTASY)?
So… Using artworks with repeating natural patterns is one way to create a simultaneously stimulating yet deeply relaxing zen space in your home. But there are others.
“Horizontal lines are very relaxing,” says West Seattle Interior Designer Paula Kennedy. “Often, in bedrooms and bathroom spaces, I like to work with those horizontal lines so those spaces become more calming.” It’s no longer a surprise why we could stare out toward the ocean forever, right? “The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon,” Emerson knew. “We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.”
What does that mean for your artwork choices? Look for calming nature art with prominent horizontal lines, like panorama photography prints or fine art ocean photography prints — and see how your room transforms into a peaceful oasis in front of your (relaxed) eyes.
Of course, as you create a calming zen space in your home, fractals and horizontal lines in art only scratch the surface. You can’t disregard the power of color psychology in interior design, the simplicity and focal point concepts, or the mental health benefits of our favorite places, either. So read on, as I will tackle each of these strategies individually next — sending you well on your way to turning your space into a peaceful retreat with my calming fine art nature photography prints.
“If people looked at the stars each night, they’d live a lot differently. When you look into infinity, you realize that there are more important things than what people do all day.” — B. Watterson
#1: CHOOSE ART THAT ALLOWS YOU TO ESCAPE TO YOUR HAPPY PLACE IF YOU WANT A CALMING ZEN SPACE
Let’s start with the mental health benefits of our happy places. Take a minute to think about where your mind wanders when you let it. Where do your daydreams take you? To the coast? To an island? High up onto a mountain or deep into the woods? There are no wrong answers.
Now imagine how you’d feel if that happy place was just a glance away.
Scientists have found that our brains react positively to images of nature within merely 200 milliseconds. Think about how that effect will get multiplied if it’s not just any scene of nature, but it’s your happy place, right there?
In my case, it’s why I have a statement piece of fine art Hawaii nature photography hanging in my living room, taking me back to the island of Kauai instantly and leaving behind all that worries me — even if it’s just for a moment.
Those trips down memory lane to your happy place are subtle and quick, explains West Seattle Interior Designer Andrea Bushdorf. “It's not like you walk into space and you just linger in these memories. It’s subconscious, and it triggers emotions. All of a sudden, we feel safe, calm, and inspired. And physically, we feel lighter, not so dark or depressed.”
It’s as Esther Sternberg writes in Healing Spaces: People who have learned to associate a place with a positive feeling will benefit from simply seeing that place.
“I always ask my clients: Where is your happy place?” says interior designer Paula Kennedy. “Having an image of that place and revisiting a cherished memory — even if it’s just for a split-second in our busy lives — allows us to reconnect with ourselves, with others, and the world around us. That sense of place helps us feel nurtured. That makes fine art photography such a powerful medium we can use in our homes.”
“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again.” — Joseph Campbell
#2: SIMPLICITY IS YOUR FRIEND: LEAVE NEGATIVE SPACE TO GIVE THE MIND A CHANCE TO RELAX
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away,” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry famously wrote in Airman's Odyssey.
Welcome to the idea of negative space in art — a powerful strategy to create a calming zen space that feels like a peaceful retreat right within your home.
It all starts with the fact that researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that physical clutter distracts the brain, creates greater stress, overloads the senses, and makes it more difficult to process information, writes Wallace J. Nichols in Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do.
The Japanese have long applied this knowledge in their traditional design, calling it Ma, which loosely translates to "negative space”. It’s the “free zone” between subjects that allows dissimilar things to coexist. The thinking of Ma goes like this: “How we spend our time and how we shape our space directly impacts our progress. If we have no time, or our space is restricted, then we cannot grow.”
We need space for our thoughts to grow. It’s simple. But it’s not easy.
It’s no wonder interior designers like Paula Kennedy suggest to their clients to leave some open space in their homes if they want a calm, soothing space. “It gives our minds a chance to breathe and relax before we go on to the next visual element.” And Paula’s friend and fellow interior designer Andrea Bushdorf adds: “The less our brains have to figure out when you walk into a space, the more satisfying it is going to feel.”
“Some of the most soothing natural landscapes are expansive open spaces with room to breathe (think of the feeling of standing in front of a seascape, a lake view or an open plain),” concur the fine folks at Ellei Home. “Incorporating negative space into our interiors creates an expansive and calming feel to a home.”
So removing clutter and giving the art on your wall more room to breathe alone will help it unfold its calming qualities more easily. But beyond that, you can even choose art that itself takes the concepts of negative space, simplicity and balance into account to take that serene feeling to the next level and really help you create a zen space and a more calming home.
Incidentally, balance, simplicity and a conscious use of space are all pillars of how I decide what to photograph out in nature. What defines fine art photography for me is intentionally seeking out clarity and simplicity in a busy scene. It’s a metaphor for striving to find simplicity in our convoluted lives. That simplicity, more often than not, translates to a feeling of serene calmness — a meditative moment in nature, eternalized in a fine art photograph.
It’s what author Tim Egan in the New York Times amorously called “The Big Empty”: “Part of the American West has always been therapeutic. Vacant skies, horizons that stretch to infinity, country without clutter. The soul needs to roam, too.”
So if you want to turn your home into a calming retreat, make sure you find art that allows your soul the space to roam.
“Simplicity is the ultimate act of sophistication” — Leonardo DaVinci
FAMILY BONDS | Denver, CO | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 50 | Shop Now
#3: CHOOSE CALMING COLORS IN YOUR ART IF YOU WANT A ZEN SPACE
One of the most important factors in using art to create a calming zen space is its colors. You may have heard me talk before about the fascinating world of color psychology in interior design.
So if you are looking for calming nature art, a good place to start is green and blue tones — both of which have soothing qualities. For example: A forest shrouded in fog, like in my artwork called FOREST FLOWER, will immediately put your mind at ease, not only because of the soft edges but also thanks to the serene greens and blue undertones.
But looking at green and blue fine art nature photography prints is only the start if you want to create a calming home where, as Esther Sternberg writes in Healing Spaces, “entering seems to have an almost miraculous ability to soothe anxiety and despair.” You will also want to make sure that the primary colors of the artwork complement the wall color scheme — which, as renowned Scandinavian interior designer Katrine Martensen-Larsen told me, should be a soft, neutral color palette to create a calming zen space. “Those colors are really subdued, and really peaceful,” she told me.
By the way: If you are worried that neutral colors like tans and grays leave the space feeling too cold or uninviting, their spacious feel will allow you to go a little bolder with your artwork color, while still maintaining an overall calming, tranquil feel. For example, you could use a serene beach sunset fine art photography print in such a space without worrying too much that the vibrant colors infuse too much of a sense of energy into the room.
FOREST FLOWER | Del Norte Redwoods, CA | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | Shop Now
#4: COHERENT DECOR WILL MAKE YOUR SPACE A LOT MORE ZEN THAN AN ECLECTIC MIX OF ITEMS
Once you have found an artist you love, hang multiple of their pieces in the same space for a coherent look rather than mixing and matching different artists with different styles in the same room.
Of course that doesn’t mean you can’t have artwork from multiple artists in your home even if you desire a peaceful retreat. It just means to keep the style in any one space within your home coherent. But: To give your overall house a consistent feel, you will still want to be somewhat coherent in your choices of artists’ styles — i.e. not trying to match ultra-vibrant pop art with calming nature art and hope that the place will feel peaceful as a result.
So… Coherence is your friend as you create a soothing zen space with calming nature art. Remember what West Seattle interior designer Andrea Bushdorf said: “The less our brains have to figure out when you walk into a space, the more satisfying it is going to feel.”
An eclectic collection of decor on the other hand equals more for the brain to figure out. So tread carefully. Instead, maybe try and pair artworks that show a similar, calming subject matter, like fine art ocean photography prints, or lean into artworks with similar primary colors, like the blues in OLYMPIC DREAMS and FALL SYMPHONY.
“The purpose of art is not the release of a momentary ejection of adrenaline but is, rather, the gradual, lifelong construction of a state of wonder and serenity.” – Glenn Gould
OLYMPIC DREAMS | Olympic Mountains, WA | highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | Shop Now
#5: A STRONG FOCAL POINT GIVES YOUR ZEN SPACE A SENSE OF BALANCE AND DIRECTION
So by now you’ve probably understood that the best way to create a zen space is to make it quite literally easy on the eye.
And one of the most impactful ways to use calming nature art to give a space a grounding sense of direction is to use the art to create a clear focal point in your room.
“Any space we walk into, we find what's a comfortable path to carve our way through all the elements to what's the most inviting corner,” explains interior designer Andrea Bushdorf. The easier it is for the eye to travel toward that clear focal point in your space, she says, the more balanced the room will appear, and the more calm and serene it will feel.
Calming fine art nature photography is particularly well-suited for creating focal points in zen spaces that feel like a retreat, thanks to Ester Sternberg’s “landmarks” theory she describes in her book, Healing Spaces. Sternberg suggests the use of art and other means to make our happy places the focal point in our homes (similar to what I described in Strategy 1 in this article). Consequently, we travel through our homes from landmark to landmark, each one triggering a happy memory, and each one putting our tired minds at ease just a little more.
BEACON OF HOPE | Fox Island, WA | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | Shop Now
#6: USE CALMING NATURE ART TO CREATE A ZEN SPACE WHERE YOU CAN PRACTICE “FERTILE LAZINESS”
The Irish philosopher Richard Kearney wrote the preface to one of my favorite books, The Poetics of Space, by French philosopher Gaston Bachelard. Kearney laments: “So much of our experience today is processed by digital communication networks and social media, leaving little spaces for reverie and meditation.”
He goes on to praise Bachelard’s tome as being about “hide-and-seek places where the mind can go on holiday for a while and think about nothing, which is everything. Havens where the soul can pause, in silence, and free itself to dream. And let things be. Now more than ever, we have a need for intimacy, secrets, sites of interiority, and contemplation where we can practice what Baudelaire — one of Bachelard’s favorite poets — called the art of ‘fertile laziness’. Without such nooks and crannies to muse and mope, to linger and loiter, there is nowhere to begin anew.”
I challenge you to find a piece of calming nature art that infuses your space with that sense of “fertile laziness”, make it part of your home, and watch how your space transforms into a peaceful retreat.
“Art is an increase of life.” — Gaston Bachelard, French philosopher
IMMERSION | Lake Quinault, WA | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | Shop Now
#7: TAP INTO THE ART OF FENG SHUI SO YOUR SPACE FEELS TRULY ZEN
The ancient Asian knowledge of Feng Shui is all about creating emotionally comfortable spaces. Its principles provide a roadmap to mimicking the outdoors in your home to put you in a permanent good mood, optimize your health, and generally improve your overall happiness.
Feng Shui, the “life force,” works with five elements: earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. You can use this knowledge to your advantage when choosing art by strategically placing fine art nature photography prints throughout your home to mimic the Feng Shui elements and unlock more positive energy in the space.
Don’t know where to start? This conversation with Interiors Therapist Suzanne Roynon about using my art to change how a room feels will get you well on your way to utilizing calming nature art to create your own zen space.
Leave a comment