I Turned A Forest Vine Into Rainbow Art

Earth talks to me.

When I’m meandering through the forest I notice things.

One day, the light was coming through the trees in such a magical way, it made me look up.

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As I looked up I saw a dancing vine falling from the sky as if trying to convey a message from above. It felt like a brush stroke from another realm.

In a flash of inspiration I saw the vine coming to life with a rainbow breathing through it. I knew I needed to bring this vision to life.

The first step was getting permission to work with this vine since it was on Conservation land. I spoke with the Conservation staff, shared my idea, and purchased a permit to create this Earth-inspired art.

I gathered up all the colored pieces of fabric I could find in my studio, organized them in color coordinated bags, and recruited photographer Kevin Thom to document the creative process and help get the supplies to the location. Getting everything to the site was a much bigger task then either Kevin or I anticipated. It took multiple trips into the forest to get the colors to this spot.

Once I started the process of wrapping the colored pieces onto the vine, I got into a bit of a trance. Hours passed before I realized I should have brought more snacks. I didn’t notice how hungry I was until a wave of exhaustion set in.

Inspiration can come through like a burst of medicinal adrenaline, it’s an amazing feeling, but I have to be mindful not to overextend myself physically.

Making art with my hands puts me into a meditative state. I become so deeply present and engaged in the process that I forget about basic things like drinking water. My brain shifts into a different gear. My mind opens up like a channel and I start getting messages from Earth and Spirit.

I thought it might take me an hour or two to transform the dancing vine into a rainbow burst of energy. The reality was quite different. It took over 5 hours (I don’t know exactly how long it took because I completely lost track of time.)

As with most inspired ideas, they come in a timeless flash. But, the process of bringing them into reality is a lot slower.

I probably could have kept going and stretching the colors up higher and higher, but the sun was starting to set and I needed to complete the project. I managed to get it to a point where I felt the colors dancing.

Seeing it come together felt like an abstract painting created by a spirit in the forest had just flitted through in a creative storm. It feels surreal to me now, yet perfectly reflective of the original vision.

Earth talks to me when I listen.

Simply spending time in nature opens up the inspirational flow and lifts a veil to a magical realm. There is a spirit that moves through nature with messages to share.

I received many messages through the Rainbow Vine creative process…

I was reminded to have patience with the process, things take the time they take. Inspiration is faster than reality. It takes patience, perseverance, and determination to see an idea through. And, it is so important to care for yourself in the process.