Support Page Content
Beauty in Simplicity
Nature and the Human Connection
Preservice teachers employed design aesthetics while engaging in artistic explorations with nature. Manipulating nature from a child's perspective, the preservice teachers created visual relationships among the natural materials. What started as a challenge to make art without adhesives or traditional media soon became a lesson in imaginative play and the delicate manipulation of organic and once-living objects. Preservice teachers discovered the splendor of creating with materials from the natural world while synthesizing personal practice and art-making for children.
![work by Emma Brownrigg](_internal/_images/01beauty.jpg)
- Emma Brownrigg
- Faye, 2021
- Leaves, flowers, and twigs on felt
- 12 x 12 inches
![work by jessica cardoza](_internal/_images/02beauty.jpg)
- Jessica Cardoza
- My Take on Water Mandala, 2021
- Grass, leaves, flowers, and water
- Dimensions variable
![work by vandessa de haro](_internal/_images/03beauty.jpg)
- Vanessa De Haro
- Spring is Coming, 2021
- Dirt and grass on canvas
- Dimensions variable
![work by alexyah duran](_internal/_images/04beauty.jpg)
- Alexyah Duran
- Flowers don't tell; they show, 2021
- Flowers on water
![work by Noelia García](_internal/_images/05beauty.jpg)
- Noelia García
- Nature face photo, 2021
- Flowers, rocks, and leaves on cork circle
- 12 x 12 inches
![work by monserrat hernandez](_internal/_images/06beauty.jpg)
- Monserrat Hernandez
- Green, 2020
- Leaves on found canvas
![work by roxanna javier-perez](_internal/_images/07beauty.jpg)
- Roxanna Javier-Perez
- Nature's Perspective, 2021
- Rocks, variant of flower, leaves, cherries, and rose petals
- Dimensions variable
![work by ashley lippner](_internal/_images/08beauty.jpg)
- Ashley Lippner
- The Luau Smile
- Sticks, flowers, leaves, grass, and cork board
![work by lauren lopes](_internal/_images/09beauty.jpg)
- Lauren Lopes
- Letter H, 2021
- Bark on cork circle
![work by jaquelin mendez](_internal/_images/10beauty.jpg)
- Jaquelin Mendez
- Who am I?, 2021
- Grass, flowers, branches, and leaves on canvas
- Dimensions variable
![work by lauren miller](_internal/_images/11beauty.jpg)
- Lauren Miller
- Alphabet Letter, 2021
- Photograph
- 11.5 x 12 inches
![work by melissa montes-rodriguez](_internal/_images/12beauty.jpg)
- Melissa Montes-Rodriguez
- Floral Succulent, 2021
- Dandelions, Shasta daisies, purple rosemary, one succulent center, and unknown yellow and red-orange flowers
![work by charmian cuenca real](_internal/_images/13beauty.jpg)
- Charmian Cuenca Real
- Nature Mandala, 2021
- Nature material on cork board
- 16 x 16 inches
![work by madison reed](_internal/_images/14beauty.jpg)
- Madison Reed
- Valentine's Day, 2021
- Rose petals and stems on cork board
- 3 x 12 inches
![work by ashton rice](_internal/_images/15beauty.jpg)
- Ashton Rice
- The Happy Orange, 2021
- Flower and plant on cement
- 19.6 x 28 inches
![work by brianna schlattman](_internal/_images/16beauty.jpeg)
- Brianna Schlattman
- The Circle of Leaf, 2021
- Leaves on cork felt
- 8 x 10 inches
![work by angel vizcarra](_internal/_images/17beauty.jpeg)
- Angel Vizcarra
- Nature interpretation of my reincarnation, 2021
- Leaves, twigs, and stems
- Dimensions variable
![work by alena wallace](_internal/_images/18beauty.jpeg)
- Alena Wallace
- Backyard Beauty, 2021
- Nature items on felt circle
![work by laura wanklin](_internal/_images/19beauty.jpg)
- Laura Wanklin
- Becoming nature, 2021
- Leaves, rocks, and flowers
- Dimensions variable
![work by jameelah warr-harris](_internal/_images/20beauty.jpg)
- Jameelah Warr-Harris
- As I Balance, 2021
- Gravel cement
![work by mia andes](_internal/_images/21beauty.jpg)
- Mia Andes
- The Beauty of Nature, 2021
- Flower petal, rocks, and sticks
![work by alondra arroyo](_internal/_images/22beauty.jpg)
- Alondra Arroyo
- Precious Penelope, 2021
- Flowers/succulent on felt background
- 12 x 5 inches
![work by ashley barrios](_internal/_images/23beauty.jpg)
- Ashley Barrios
- Water Mandala, 2021
- Flowers on water background
![work by morgan buttram](_internal/_images/24beauty.jpg)
- Morgan Buttram
- I, 2021
- Plants on grass
![work by mariana cardenas](_internal/_images/25beauty.jpg)
- Mariana Cardenas
- Sincerely, Nature, 2021
- Dimensions variable
![work by mia leilani casillas](_internal/_images/26beauty.jpeg)
- Mia Leilani Casillas
- Fallen Valentine's Rose Petals, 2021
- 17.5 x 12 inches
![work by athena cristen di](_internal/_images/27beauty.jpeg)
- Athena Cristen Di
- Gaia Gal, 2021
- Flowers, petals, leaves, and twigs on felt
- 9 x 12 inches
![work by guadalupe gonzalez](_internal/_images/28beauty.jpeg)
- Guadalupe Gonzalez
- Beauty Within, 2021
- Flowers
![work by Jeniveve Guerrero](_internal/_images/29beauty.jpg)
- Jeniveve Guerrero
- Nature's Realness, 2021
- Rose petals
- 7 x 21.5 inches
![work by kylie horn](_internal/_images/30beauty.jpeg)
- Kylie Horn
- The End, 2021
- Leaves and weeds
![work by andina m. long](_internal/_images/31beauty.jpeg)
- Andina M. Long
- Barbara's Moon Shadow Balance, 2021
- Golden Eunonymus shrub leaves on felt circle
![work by Andrea Marison Martín-Borges](_internal/_images/32beauty.jpeg)
- Andrea Marison Martín-Borges
- Font: Jardin, 2021
- Plants, peanut, peach puts, and rocks on felt circle
- 12 x 12 inches
![work by stephanie martin](_internal/_images/33beauty.jpeg)
- Stephanie Martin
- New Leaf, 2021
- Natural materials
- 12 inches in diameter
![work by Angela Obando](_internal/_images/34beauty.jpeg)
- Angela Obando
- Rapunzel's bouquet, 2021
- Flowers on cork circle
- 12 inches in diameter
![work by nayeli prado](_internal/_images/35beauty.jpeg)
- Nayeli Prado
- Earth Mandala, 2021
- Nature materials on cork board
![work by Vanessa Velazquez-Medina](_internal/_images/36beauty.jpeg)
- Vanessa Velazquez-Medina
- Untitled
- Nature materials on cork
![work by rachel wormald](_internal/_images/37beauty.jpeg)
- Rachel Wormald
- Camellia Circle, 2021
- Leaves and flowers on stone
- 12 x 13 inches
![work by kachua xiong](_internal/_images/38beauty.jpeg)
- Kachua Xiong
- Self-Expression, 2021
- Natural materials
- Dimensions variable
![work by kao chia yang](_internal/_images/39beauty.jpeg)
- Kao Chia Yang
- Natural Beauty, 2021
- Tree branches, twigs, and other nature materials on felt circle
- Dimensions variable
![work by charles rogers](_internal/_images/40beauty.jpg)
- Charles Rogers
- S, 2021
- Stones on felt
- Dimensions variable
![work by lizeth montoya sanchez](_internal/_images/41beauty.jpg)
- Lizeth Montoya Sanchez
- M, 2021
- Natural materials on cork
- Dimensions variable
![work by jason smith](_internal/_images/42beauty.jpg)
- Jason Smith
- G, 2021
- Natural materials on cork
- Dimensions variable
![work by nathan cunanan](_internal/_images/43beauty.jpg)
- Nathan Cunanan
- X, 2021
- Natural materials on felt
- Dimensions variable
![work by hayley elliott](_internal/_images/44beauty.jpg)
- Hayley Elliott
- D, 2021
- Natural materials
- Dimensions variable
![work by megan tateyama](_internal/_images/45beauty.jpg)
- Megan Tateyama
- Q, 2021
- Natural materials
- Dimensions variable