Perusing the morning art news on Hyperallergic, I (PM, Olivia) saw a feature on a new exhibit at thte Brandywine River Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, PA. The exhibit, entitled Natural Wonders: The Sublime in Contemporary Art, provides commentary on the ways in which the natural world and the artificial world have blended together in the age of technology. Is nature still real if you see it through a television screen? It is still authentic if the plant is in a pot inside a home, or in this case a museum, rather than outside in the wild?

These questions relate to a trend that we’ve seen in our projects over the last several years. We’ve had a number of clients express interest in incorporating natural elements like moss, leaves, and stones, into their interior offices. Photos of flowers and and rivers are undoubtedly soothing and universally pleasing to viewers, but having a tactile work of art that people can touch, approach, and experience its dimensionality allows for an even deeper level of appreciation for the artwork.

The Brandywine Museum’s curator, Suzanne Ramljak, reminds us that “80% of Americans live in metropolitan areas with little direct access to nature, and spend more than 90% of their lives indoors.” Because access to ‘real’ nature is so limited, we’ve found that many of our clients here at Artists Circle are excited about the idea of having natural or botanical artwork brought into their spaces. It serves as a taste of the forest in an otherwise concrete jungle. Check out some of our artwork projects involving natural elements below!

Here’s hoping that we will all get to spend a little more time outdoors in the coming weeks (and that we’ll get to see the show at the Brandywine museum!). If not - we’re happy to bring natural, living artwork right to your office!