Nature is an Artist

In Nature is an Artist, the author and illustrator work seamlessly together to make the connections between nature and artistry. Nature is depicted as a friendly, green entity leading a group of children through a variety of scenes while showing them how they can recreate nature’s beauty. The beautiful colours of sunrises, flowers, autumn trees, bumblebees, rocks, sand, water, and rainbows are used as examples. Along the way, Nature (the green entity) introduces the children to some traditional art techniques used by small children.

Finger-painting, collage, cutting and pasting coloured paper, sculpting with sand, etching shapes by scratching away the top black crayon layer to expose new colours and shapes underneath, stamping on a sheet of paper, and pasting strips of tissue paper on a glass jar are described.

The illustrations are full-colour, full-page in cartoon format. It is interesting to note that the type of paper the children would normally use for each of these activities is easily identified in the pictures. The finger-painting is done on glossy paper, the collage is on lined paper, the sand sculptures and etchings look like they were done using cardboard, the stamping was done on grid paper, and the tissue paper was pasted on a glass jar.

The text, written in a poetic format, celebrates art as a treasure and keepsake and Nature is the mentor and inspiration.

Teachers/caregivers can use Nature is an Artist to introduce/explore various art techniques and support the unit on paper in the early years curriculum. Children, readers and non-readers alike will enjoy reading this book or having it read to them.