Your Creative Journey
You've worked as a sign maker and portrait artist since 2009. What inspired you to begin shifting towards nature-based art?
I think like a lot of people, lockdown made me see the world very differently. I appreciated my surroundings a lot more, especially the fact that I have a garden and could be outside watching nature. I stopped taking that space for granted. We dug up our garden that first Summer of COVID lockdown and that is what got my son so interested in archeology. We found clay pipes and old bits of pottery that we framed and he still has today. When we were allowed to go out again for exercise we spent hours and hours in our local woods. We explored every inch of the place. I felt so grateful to have such beauty around me but I also realised how much of an impact we humans have on nature. So many people were visiting the woods that there was rubbish everywhere. My husband was doing litter picks and he and my son still do them to try and combat this constant disregard for the world. Since my son has been home educated I've turned more and more to crafts that celebrate nature and wildlife. It wasn't a conscious thing, it just happened naturally (pun intended) as we spend so much time exploring the outdoors.
How has your artistic style evolved over the years?
At art school I wanted to be a storyteller and make art around that. In my foundation course I made large wooden frames that I painted giant trees on. It was about texture and exploration. I loved life drawing and still life drawing. I remember a tutor asking me if I had a life because I spent so long drawing in such detail. It struck me that as well as being very rude, it was sad that he didn't see spending time doing something that gives you joy is the best possible use of your time.
When I go to outdoor learning sessions with my son I regularly take something to draw or paint on. There's always something new that catches my eye. I would say I spend less time on the minute details as a result of that quick outdoor sketching which gives me a looser style but I am happy to still do something very detailed if that is the client brief I have. You can get lost in drawing and when you really start looking closely it's amazing what you notice.
What do you enjoy most about creating nature-inspired work compared to your earlier projects?
I enjoy trying new things and having my son to work with really gives me free rein to try anything and everything. It's hard as an adult to think 'I want to try printmaking today ' or 'I'm going to make a stick fairy wand' for example when there's washing to hang up or the self assessment to be getting on with. The everyday has a habit of restricting creativity but I can say now that I'm doing it for my son and that in turn benefits and enriches both of our learning experiences. We've found things we love doing by trial and error. Not everything works out but some things end up being even better than we could have foreseen.
All images are the property of Sam Bourner (also known as @sayitwithsam) and are used in this publication solely for educational purposes. All rights remain with the original creator.
Family & Creativity
Your son seems to play a big role in your creative life. How has making art together influenced your own work?
My son has influenced me hugely. I'm not going to pretend it's always easy to juggle my own work with his. It means that I have to be more organised than is the norm for me but I don't plan too far ahead as that can feel too rigid. I do like to do things that have a link to places we're visiting or based on what we're seeing in the garden at a certain time of year. He's very visual and learns more by doing and seeing than from a book so it's important to be hands on. Last month he drew and cut a beetle lino cut and I made my own version. We both made a sheet of gift wrap with our beetles...his was better than mine. I was trying to put too much into it. His was much stronger by keeping it simpler. So I'm still learning from him!
What are some of your favourite nature-based projects you've created together?
He loved making “Bugingham Palace” with his dad. I made a sign for it (so the bugs don't miss it). That was something we did as part of his John Muir award that he's taking part in at the moment. He loves clay and I came up with the clay mushrooms because I love spotting them when we walk our dog. He loves it when we make gift wrap and Christmas cards. In fact that's become a tradition. He's even made his own little stamp of his name to put on his cards so I don't try to pinch them! I showed him how to make a felt red rose that he attached to a card for his nan. My dad used to get my mum red roses so I thought it could be a nice thing for him to make her each year. The other thing he really likes is rock painting and we've done that together for years. We use non toxic paints and come up with ideas for decorating them and putting them in places we visit for other people to find. He's doing some at the moment to get a friend's fundraiser seen #paperplanesdorhuxley and we really hope they'll get shared a lot.
He has done cyanotype printing with flowers a couple of times now at the Rye discovery centre and I found a variation that with paprika that we're going to try. We're also going to do a clay version that my husband saw online and sent me.
Last year we saw a flower on the ground when we walked our dog and I said that looks like a fancy skirt. So we looked at other things on the ground that could be used to make a figure. We put them on th table and we both painted a fairy. I kept looking at it in his book and decided to use the felt I had languishing in a box to make some flower fairies. I pick a flower and that becomes the theme and name of the fairy. At Christmas I'd like to put one on the top of my tree.
How do you encourage creativity and a connection with nature in your son's artistic activities?
I don't think I really need to encourage it as such, it's more that we use what we have and that tends to be what's growing outside or what we find on the ground. I like using natural things but only in small amounts. I wouldn't be comfortable with taking more than I out back because it's there for the wildlife first and foremost. At the moment things are heavily daisy based because our garden has been taken over by them. You'll see a lot of bee centered crafts too and butterflies. When the bees have had their fill of the lavender I'll dry some to use as felt decoration stuffing.
We're really hoping the metal sheets will encourage slow worms back as they would make a great project. My husband works at a nature reserve and sends us photos of the incredible creatures he sees so that also gets us fired up. Photography has been a big interest in the last year, ever since I gave my son an old slr that belonged to my sister. It's been great watching him look at things differently. He spots tiny insects that he has to take a photo of or he'll see how light shines on something and we have to stop suddenly to capture it. I've realised that I see far more too now. A little shrew running out from a log or a cool metallic beetle. I think even what was a short walk takes us hours now because all three of us are photographing everything. Our dog does a lot of deep sighing.
Current Plans
Can you tell us more about your flower fairy series and what inspired it?
A nature craft with my son was the starting point but I didn't actually make the flower fairies for ages. It's not a glamorous reason but we use naked paper toilet roll and I keep the cardboard tubes on a shelf. When the inevitable "are you going to actually use these?" came I thought yes I am. They are perfect bases for flower fairies. I've been using up the little offcuts of felt from other projects to make tiny flowers and the first fairy was a collection of these little flowers. A lovely lady bought that one for her nature loving friend in Spain. Making is a bit of an addiction for me. I've had so much happen in my life that has been traumatic and it's been a way for me to focus on something other than being scared or depressed. I started having panic attacks after my sister died and then I had lots of miscarriages at various stages of pregnancy. It felt overwhelming. I lost most of my family in quite a short space of time and everything that felt familiar and comforting was gone. I kept making things. I kept drawing and painting and sewing and keeping my hands and my mind busy. If you see a sudden burst of me making lots of art and crafts then you can bet something has happened as that's my coping mechanism.
Why did you choose felt as the medium for these creations?
I started using felt before my son was born to sew these cute little teddy bear decorations. I made some hearts as decorations for my wedding and I made more over the years and added lavender from the garden. Felt is really easy to manipulate and makes wonderful flowers. Plus sewing is very relaxing. We made some little twisted stick balls stuffed with sheep and alpaca wool at a home ed class to hang up for birds to use in their nests. So now I'm on the lookout for somewhere local to buy sheep's wool to stuff my felt decorations.
Do you have a favourite flower fairy you've made so far?
I think Poppy is my favourite at the moment as her giant poppy hat is pretty extravagant. Poppies have a special place in my heart too. They are a symbol of remembrance and they were also a flower that my nan really loved. Shaking a poppy that has dried out and listening to all of those wonderful seeds inside is still a joy. If you want to do some gorilla seed distribution then shaking poppy seeds in bare soil is a good place to start. Bees can't get enough of them.
All images are the property of Sam Bourner (also known as @sayitwithsam) and are used in this publication solely for educational purposes. All rights remain with the original creator.
Nature & It’s Inspiration
Where do you find inspiration for your nature-themed artwork and crafts?
Instagram is great for ideas. There's so many brilliant creative people out there sharing what they do and often giving tutorials on how to do it yourself. I walked my dog in the pouring rain last week while my husband did the big shop and once I'd dried said dog and sat in the car I looked at a video about using an old foil tray to make an etching. I couldn't wait to get home and have a go.
We're members of the Sussex wildlife trust, rspb and national trust. You get lots of craft ideas on their publications. We also see lots of things on days out with all of these organisations that inspire us.
Are there particular plants, animals, or landscapes that frequently appear in your work?
Probably. Again not intentionally but I noticed some feature more than others when I put an album of previous work together. Roses are wonderful to paint. I love lavender and daisies. I do have favourite colours and that's mainly what you'd see in my garden. There's a few pops of other colours my husband has snuck in but I do love purples and blues above all others. I've just ordered more aquamarine paint so it clearly gets used a lot. I painted a series of eco tote bags using a flower for each letter of names. I loved making those. A lady bought a whole set for her friends which was a lovely gift and a real honour to do.
How does spending time outdoors influence your creative process?
I think it helps me to unwind a bit and stop getting too bogged down with the stress of getting commissions and making some money. Obviously I do need to make money to live but being stressed about it doesn't make for good work. Sometimes I have to go outside and take a deep breathe. Then I can come back and have the energy and mindset to get making.
Community and Work Shops
You recently took part in a workshop at the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre. What was that experience like?
Scary. I volunteered to help out because I really like Aimi who runs the sessions and I thought it would be a good idea to do something out of my comfort zone. I get very nervous talking to people and an extremely self conscious but I know that I have to get out more of I have a chance to keep getting work coming in. There was a time limit to the sessions so I had to make things that would be quick for the children to paint. I saw an idea online somewhere to cut bits of hazel and kids paint on them but my son thought that was a bit boring. I had a new lino cutter for my birthday and just started cutting shapes into the wood. It was addictive so I did more and more. My son painted one as big pencil and kids picked out others such as faces and leaves to paint. It looked like they enjoyed it. It was busy and went quickly but I had lots of adults say thank you so I think it was positive. I'd love to do more there. I have lots of ideas and it's a gorgeous setting. I've contacted the coffee shop in my village about doing some craft and home ed sessions but am still waiting on a reply.
What do you enjoy most about sharing crafts and creative activities with children?
Children are a brilliant audience. They tend to instinctively know what they want to do even when they're very small. I've noticed adults trying to suggest they do things in a certain way but the children know their own minds and are adamant. It's amazing how you can have a few children all with one thing to paint but they all come up with completely different outcomes. Us adults tend to patronise children quite a lot when it comes to art and crafts. My son finds a lot of things on offer are "too kiddy". It's better to be led by them and trust them to do their own thing. With my son I try to offer guidance when it comes to safety (ie lino cutters, a saw etc) but not too rigid with what he does with the skill he learns.
Which of the workshop activities proved most popular with the children?
I think the clay mushrooms and the sticks were equally well received. Some adults were also painting mushrooms so that was nice. I don't think you should ever feel like you're too old to sit down and paint with a child. It's a lovely way to bond.
I've painted rocks with children in the past and that's fun too. Especially when you go out and hide them. I once painted 30 ricks one Easter and his them in woods where I lived at the time for friends, family and strangers to find. It was really heart warming seeing the kids with baskets of the rocks they'd found.
All images are the property of Sam Bourner (also known as @sayitwithsam) and are used in this publication solely for educational purposes. All rights remain with the original creator.
Going Traditional With Crafts
You've worked with lino printing, whittling, clay, felt, and nature journaling. Is there a craft you keep returning to, and why?
It depends what mood I'm in. Winter is a good time for sitting by the fire and sewing or making batches of gift wrap. Summer is more things I can do outside so clay, wood and paint. The colours I use tend to be influenced by what's outside. Summer is brighter colours and then winter is deep greens, reds and copper.
What attracts you to working with natural materials and traditional craft techniques?
Rejection of what I see humanity gravitating towards. I hate AI and the saturation of it in every company and event. It's soulless as well as being an enormous polluter. People want to take an easy route and go with the herd even to the detriment of the world. There's places I've loved and championed in the past like Leeds castle who use AI adverts and videos when they're supposed to care about nature and heritage.
The arguments for using it are very weak and I'm not just saying I reject it as someone who sees AI killing creativity but also because it's completely unethical. Instead of clicking on an app, grab a piece of paper and see what you come up with or take a piece of wood and start carving. You don't know what you are capable of unless you try.
Do you have any tips for people who would like to start creating nature-inspired art at home?
Get outside. And it doesn't have to be sunny. Just get out there and look at what's around you. There's so many incredible places to inspire you. Countryside and urban alike. People are making these little pockets of greenery and the more people to do that the more chance wildlife has. Be part of it. Get growing and making art from the things you've given life to.
All images are the property of Sam Bourner (also known as @sayitwithsam) and are used in this publication solely for educational purposes. All rights remain with the original creator.
Looking Ahead
What projects are you currently working on or planning for the future?
I'm currently making some little felt letter decorations that people can hang on their Christmas trees or use as table settings, gift tags etc. I know it's June but making everything by hand takes time so I need to start early. Plus I like taking my time on them and building up the collection. My son and I will start planning this year's Christmas cards soon. I have an idea of what I want to do. It's my favourite bird and one I see every time I think of my loved ones so would be very apt. He won't let me in on what he's going to do.
Is there a dream project or craft you'd love to explore one day?
I would love to do illustrations for a wildlife trust or nature reserve. I've done so many trails with my son over the years, some good, some not engaging in the slightest. So I would love to unleash what I've found works with him and do a family friendly trail. A lot of places tend to completely ignore all of the incredible things they have and shove some unrelated animals in each room for a child to spot. Get kids looking at what's there. Spark interest. Make it fun.
What do you hope people take away from your work and workshops?
My aim is always to give people something to treasure. I've had wonderful feedback over the years. I know I've struck a cord when I get "they cried when I gave them the ..." At least I take it as tears of joy! My feelings on making things is that to give someone something that you've had made especially for them means more than buying tons of things that have no sentimental value. As consumers we're always pushed to get a lot, more than we need and that's why after Christmas there's so many overflowing bins. I'd rather have one present that I'll treasure my whole life than lots of things that I have no use for. And that one present doesn't need to cost a lot. It doesn't need to cost anything but your time if you make it yourself. I don't charge anywhere near enough to cover my time. I know I don't but I do want to be accessible to as many people as I can whilst making at least a little bit of money doing it. I put so much into everything I do whether it's a commission, a craft with my son or coming up with ideas to share.
A Closing Question…..
If you could spend a day crafting with any artist, past or present, who would it be and what would you make together?
I don't think I can pick just one. I loved Georgia O'Keefe when I was at art school. Those gorgeous huge florals. I became obsessed with orchids. I would have loved to paint with her. I love the passion of Bob Ross and how he made art accessible to people who had been too scared to pick up a brush. But Tony Hart was the one who first got me into art. I never got featured on his gallery but it didn't stop me trying! If I'd got to meet him I would have enjoyed doing any kind of art with him, I would have been starstruck. My son's art heroes are Rob Biddulph and the art ninja. I did make a very cool Audrey 2 thanks to the Art Ninja so I would like to get have a day getting craft tips from him.
Thankyou Sam for taking the time to have a little Q&A, be sure to follow Sam on Instagram: @sayitwithsam
