The Beauty and Joy of Ephemeral Art
A shell wreath I made on my deck a few years ago… the wind and seagulls tore it apart after a few days
A teeny excerpt from my Seek Beauty • Create Joy online class:
We love collecting things of beauty, don’t we? Perhaps your collections are conscious and planned – mementos from travel, plants for the garden, or maybe things that are rare, historical, or steeped with memories. Or maybe your favorite collections are more spontaneous such as shells, beach glass, or driftwood. Whether they are consciously planned or spontaneous, these collections bring joy not just in the act of collecting, but also in little vignettes that you can create from your collections.
Even if you’re a minimalist, you probably collect a few things – pieces of art, bouquets of flowers, a little bowl of sea glass on the picnic table, photos on your computer, dinnerware – and derive joy from seeing them in your home.
Sometimes a collection is only meant for a moment. It doesn’t need to take up space or collect dust. It’s enough to create it, take a photo and allow it to wash away. In fact, ephemeral art is often the most joyful of all because it comes without guilt. It brings joy without taking space, or accumulating clutter.
My son made this gorgeous flower from clam shells on our beach – the tide will eventually carry it away or bury it with rocks and sand
Want some fun ideas on Ephemeral Art projects?
We don’t often think of flower bouquets as being Ephemeral Art – but of course, that’s exactly what they are!
Why not enjoy the beauty of cooking herbs before you use them up? Set a bouquet in your kitchen window and snip away as you add them to your dishes.
Gather a bouquet and place into a vase or handful of jars:
flowers from your garden
herbs
leaves
grasses
wildflowers
weeds
Create a wreath or Mandela:
leaves, petals, twigs
rocks, shells
beans, nuts, spices
beads, fabric, yarn
Create a feast or nest for the outdoor wildlife:
Mandela of seeds for the birds
Garland of dried apples and oranges for the squirrels
Build a Faerie house made of moss and twigs in the garden
Shades of yellow
Of course, who could ever get tired of making cairns?
Try odd shaped rocks and defy gravity
Create cairns within a color family
Defy gravity
Your imagination is the limit!
What ideas do you have for ephemeral art?
We want to see it! Take a photo and share on IG and FB with the hashtag #seekbeautycreatejoy and tag me so I see it too: @BeverlyAshGilbert