The senses and perception - art which uplifts your well-being
The Gift of Sight
As an artist, I believe my work has a profound effect on not just the most obvious basic human sense of sight, but on all five senses combined for a complete experience that heals, relaxes, and even inspires the viewer.
“Flowers are beautiful to behold but beyond that, my wish is for my photography to stimulate thoughts connected to sound, smell, taste, and touch.”
The most obvious way in which art can stimulate an audience is through visual interpretation. Our eyes perceive texture, form, color, and movement for a seeable experience that sends information to the brain. When it comes to flowers, the sight of colorful blooms in varying shapes and sizes prompts an emotional reaction associated with pleasure and contentment.
Created with the intention of triggering these same positive feelings, my floral art prints capture the visual beauty of nature’s bounty. Whether it’s the vibrant hues and delicate formation of spring peonies, ranunculus, and roses as seen here in Familie, or the gentle movement of falling petals as depicted in Crushing on You, our ability to see and to experience emotions through art is truly transformative.
Listen to the world around you
Outside of seeing, we can utilize all of our other senses to become mesmerized by art and see it as not just a singular work, but as a journey of full discovery.
“Have you ever paused to look at a painting or photograph and paid close attention to what you're able to hear in that moment?”
Less apparent than the basic sense of sight to begin with, art often evokes recollections of bygone times and places and with it, the familiar sounds from a distant memory.
When it comes to locations I’ve visited, there’s nowhere more magical than the undulating Tuscan hills, the turquoise waters of the Amalfi Coast, or the historic cities of Italy. I’ve been enchanted by the allure and natural beauty of this characterful country since my very first trip and with every excursion since I’ve made memories that I’ll cherish for a lifetime.
“Featured in my Italian Collection, my art print Sunset takes me back to nightfall in Tuscany - where the background hum of the flora and fauna soothes the soul while the clinking of charged glasses and the sweet laughter of locals makes me fall in love with Italy just a little bit more.”
When I close my eyes I can clearly see the whole scene because of the sound memory that is evoked. Sound is nothing short of magical, for music can be made by reeds blowing in the wind, the gentle coo of a morning dove, the sweetness of ladybugs buzzing around black eyed susans. There is music everywhere, and each piece of fine art photography I create is connected deeply to certain melodies. An inexplicable gift that I never take for granted.
Travel through time with Fragrance
As we move through the garden of our psyche we come to the treasure of aroma. A sense we have explored deeply in past articles, and one that has to be mentioned time and time again.
So tell me, how often do you stop to smell the roses?
A proverbial expression encouraging us to slow down and appreciate the sources of goodness in our lives, I sometimes wonder if we preach this phrase more than we practice it. If you’re anything like me, the truth is it doesn’t happen as frequently as it could.
Pausing to recognize the simple daily occurrences that bring us joy — and in turn discovering what really elicits this emotion — is an important part of our wellbeing.
Looking for an easy way to stop and smell the roses on a regular basis?
“Floral Art invites us to lose oneself in a moment, to recognize an instance of happiness, and to quite literally breathe in the fragrance of the flowers before us.”
We see a fine art print of lilacs draped with honeyed white roses and the fragrance somehow makes its way into the deepest realms of our memory. We breathe it in and for a moment we are in the midst of a flower bloom.
We can never forget the sensational experience of Taste
When it comes to activating the five main senses through art, taste is often overlooked because it doesn’t make immediate logical sense. With my floral artwork, however, it’s not unusual for the palate to be stimulated. Many flowers arouse a detectable sweetness that can be felt when we pause to appreciate them — a catalytic influence on the senses that first affects our sight and in turn every other sensation, including flavor perceived in the mouth.
Roses, for example, are some of nature’s most fascinating edible blooms and the sweet, floral flavors they offer are both refined and sophisticated when used correctly. Pausing to appreciate the delicate beauty of the roses in my art print Love and Fleurs invites the audience to not only see and hopefully smell these favorite flowers, but with a little imagination they can almost taste them too!
Sensuality, comfort all through a single Touch
Who else instinctively reaches out to touch the petals or foliage of a flower on display?
The texture of blooms between our fingers activates the body’s sensory receptors that provide information to the brain.
“The soft, almost velvety sensation of a flower's form somehow elicits feelings of comfort and pleasure. In a similar fashion, the plush characteristics of fine art paper are capable of doing the same.”
Invite spiritual enjoyment into your personal space with my photographic depictions of flowers on high quality giclée paper that stir the imagination — reminding us how it feels both physically and emotionally to touch the gifts of Mother Nature.
When the mind and body is roused on numerous levels, we’re able to find new and more meaningful ways of feeling joy and uplifting our internal wellbeing. Journey through the floral calendar with me as I explore each bloom in detail, creating artwork that elicits the scent of the season, the soothing sounds of nature, the delicate silk of petals between your fingers, and the taste of something far sweeter than simply admiring the beauty of the natural world around us.
With love,
