The Enchanted Forest
finding magic in the
Enchanted Forest
Do you know this feeling of magic when you step into a forest? Just a few steps are enough to leave ordinary life behind. It feels timeless and otherworldly… You feel connected to something ancient and bigger than you, yet you also feel at home…
I'm back after a few magical days in the legendary forest of Brocéliande, in Brittany (one of my favorite places in the world). Those trees...
Apart from making art, walking in the woods is probably the best way I know to instantly reconnect to my soul... breathe deeper... feel grounded in the present moment... and at the same time get a glimpse of the magic and wisdom that await just beyond the veil of everyday reality. Nature is so powerful, so beautiful, so real... and we are part of it, you and I, just like the forest, the light, the trees. Close your eyes... can you feel it?
I often feel like my art journal is a magical portal. Last year I created a page to capture this feeling of wonder, and open my soul to the wisdom of the woods. In just a few weeks I will make it available as an online lesson, so you too can create an enchanted forest of your own, a safe haven you can come back to again and again, whenever you need to reconnect to your own magic.
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
One thing I love, when I’m on vacation away from home, is that I look at everything around me with new eyes (not opening my computer for days really helps and feels so good too!). I slow down, I take the time to just wander around and notice the beauty of little things.
Nature of course, is an endless source of inspiration, and in Brittany it is so lush and vibrant! So many textures, shapes and colors… Our camping site was heavenly with hundred-year-old trees and such a variety of flowers blooming all around.
I was amazed at the purple color of stones in the area, including some 6-thousand-years old standing stones. Give them a bit of rain and they really look out of this world…
Old houses, with their typical architecture were also a wonderful source of ideas. At the Forges de Paimpont, the heritage site was interesting for sure, but what I fell in love with was the peeled paint of the stables and cottages that surround the car park. That green!!
And if, like me, green inspires you (it’s one of my absolute favorite colors to use in my art), then of course the forest is where the real magic lies. In the legendary Val Sans Retour (the Valley of No Return), fairies are never far away and you can see doorways to their homes in the roots of many trees. Water is all around too, with myriads of sparkling streams, ponds and lakes that feel like enchanted mirrors. Doors and secret passages always attract my eye too… I love to take photos that I can bring back to the studio and use in my journal!
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. ”
I am back home now and already diving into new projects. I’m creating a new set of 3 art journal magical lessons called “Art Journal Journeys”…
One of them is this Enchanted Forest page, another is the Secret Garden I was telling you about in my previous post, and next week I will share a glimpse of a soothing White Wonderland (with the current heat wave we’re having in France, just looking at it makes me feel cooler by several degrees!)
Here is a video sneak peek:
and today’s finished page
“In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike. And no two journeys along the same path are alike.”
I hope this inspires you to look for magic in your life! And I’d love for you to join me in class soon, so we can play in our journals and explore plenty of imaginary worlds together.
wishing you light, love and magic!
PS: To get started with art journaling or re-inspire your existing practice, make sure to check out THIS PAGE where I share plenty of free resources.
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