Vanity – n., 1 anything that is in vain or futile 2 worthlessness or futility 3 being vain, or too proud of oneself (Webster’s New World Dictionary)
It is my love for nature… that is the reason why I decided to start, Let’s Paint Nature. I enjoy being outside and looking at every detail, inspecting things, learning about them, drawing/painting them, and sharing it, in the hopes that it will inspire others to pick up that pencil and discover their own nature and the One who created it for them.
Somewhere along the way however, I was more concerned with uploading pretty pictures (vanity). How ridiculous! In doing so, I lost that first love…..sitting in nature, getting dirty, and scribbling for the love of learning without a care in the world who saw it and who did not. Without concern on how the final product ended up.
I don’t want to only pump out pretty pictures.
I wish to inspire the amateur artist who loves nature. The one who wishes to get back into drawing like they did when they were a child. The one who says, “I would like to start a nature journal but…..”
No more buts. Let’s come out of our shell. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Don’t worry about what it looks like, just put pencil to paper and go. Nobody has to see it. You love nature and you will love to draw too. And I promise not to pump out pretty pictures for the sake of a pretty web site.
Today during lunch I sat on my favorite bench beneath a maple tree near my work. To my surprise when I looked up, I discovered a slew of cicada shells, all clinging to the underside of maple leaves. How happy I was to discover this! Yes they’re kind of creepy looking….but wow!!!
I came home from work extremely excited to start sketching. That excitement stirred up that old feeling of wonder and purpose. Nature is amazing!
Pretty paintings might happen and pretty paintings might not happen and that’s okay. It doesn’t matter. Becoming closer to nature through art is the aim.
Let's Paint Nature! 
how synchronistic! I am working on the retelling of an old folktale about a Coyote and a Cicada … your illustrations are perfectly timed … and beautiful – yes; the cicadas are beautiful in their own creepy way. And their song –
likewise
–
beautiful!
And your drawings of them. Wonderful!
COOL! A cicada story! That is great timing…lol. Thanks for the positive words. 🙂
Check out amazin.com/author/genegryniewicz
An inspiring reflection! A good reminder of the One who created everything. Thanks for sharing your paintings.
And thank you for the kind comment 😀
Thank you for posting this. Now I’m convinced that the cicadas are responsible for those dark spots on my leaves. I love the way they buzz!!! I would love to see them doing that with their wings but they seem to be very shy and private creatures. Your post was so inspiring. I know your posts impact a lot of people in a very spiritual way – even those who are not aware they are feeling that Force of Love which LPN is about.
Thanks Alanna, it’s encouraging to hear LPN has a positive effect. Tonight, I was sitting outside just before dusk and I looked up into the sky and saw some cicadas flying in the air between two trees. Now, I cant see them calling with their wings, but I did see their little fat bodies…lol. Try sitting on the prayer swing at dust and looking in the sky.
I agree – Christine -your pictures inspire us to greater creativity –
I think this might be a stupid question, but when the cicadas come out of their shells, where to they go and what do they look like?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/local/cicada2013/
Great link, Gene…thanks!
Thanks for the link, Gene!