Hi again! Happy Earth day 🌎
This post is going to be a bit shorter than the others since I just wanted to show you all my newest creation (I was *this close* to naming this post “art rocks”- too cheesy?) Anyways, in honor of Earth day 2023, I decided to paint two of my favorite natural landscapes on something I found in nature- rocks! I always love working with different surfaces since it always turns out so cool. I have painted on rocks before (see at end), and wanted to give a go at it again to see how much I improved.
Click on each to enlarge.
ⓒ ⓐ ⓟ ⓣ ⓘ ⓞ ⓝ ⓢ
Left: Often times, whenever the average person thinks “country in Africa”, images of dry grasslands, drab skies, and poverty come to mind. While these issues may exist there (as they do in several other countries), I wanted to paint a more vibrant scene. This is a view of Mount Kilimanjaro as seen from Amboseli National Park in Kenya.
My parents lived in Kenya for several years, and so does other family, and listening to stories of just their daily life make me want to visit and experience the dynamic for myself. (someday!)
Right: This is a view of a Dzong in Bhutan. I chose to paint this scene since Bhutan is #1 on my list of “places to travel” (Spain and Singapore are close seconds though).
Did you know Bhutan is the only country in the world to have a negative carbon footprint? This means they absorb more carbon dioxide than they emit, primarily since the government sets aside 60% of its total land area for forest cover. How cool is that?
Also, also, also, it measures its success in Gross National Happiness (GNH) rather than Gross National Product (GDP). Though I love money just as much as the next person, I find it refreshing that Bhutan prioritizes spiritual and mental success over monetary success, which aligns with my views on the pursuit of happiness (not to get all philosophical or anything).
By prioritizing happiness in our daily routine, we can improve our overall well-being and quality of life. Bhutan’s approach of measuring GNH reflects this understanding that happiness is not just a destination to be reached, but a journey to be enjoyed.
More rocks! (referenced in introduction).
These are rocks I painted last year for a friend’s birthday.
I encourage you all to do something today (and every other day of the year) to help keep our Earth a little more green. And I don’t mean cutting down shower time, turning off the lights, or recycling, as those are things we should regularly be conscious of anyways. Do something fun, exciting, out of the ordinary routine. Here’s some ideas:
- Start a garden. Grow anything. My family has a vegetable garden which we use often in our cooking. You can also grow flowers, herbs, or anything your heart desires.
- Buy local and organic. Instead of making a quick run to the grocery store out of convenience, support local farmers and reduce the carbon footprint of your food. You can even make a day out of it and go with your friends to explore your local farmer’s market.
- Reuse your grocery story plastic bags, wash out plastic containers and reuse them, and find creative ways to repurpose plastic to reduce your plastic waste.
- Attempt to reduce your meat intake. Although I’m vegetarian, I’m not here to impose my views on anyone. But, the production of meat makes a major contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, which is detrimental to our environment. I urge you to consider reducing your meat consumption by having meatless meals a few times a week. Here’s a website with recipes I love.
- Try your hand at recycled art : ) It’s so much fun and you never know what masterpiece you might end up with (Pinterest is your friend).
That’s all for today! I hope you all enjoyed this read, although it was a bit all over the place.
Until next time,
Riva
the riva gallery 