My nephews are outdoorsy, nature loving boys. They helped me by taking many photos of mushrooms for me to use as references for my art exhibition, along with their parents (for whom it became quite a competitive obsession), on their trip across Australia.They are all very kind and generous, and the youngest of them gives me the most wonderful gifts. He has given me beautiful feathers and leaves, a round yellow plastic counter with an intricate pattern that he came across somewhere. Whenever he gives me these presents, he tells me he thought it might inspire me with my paintings.
He has lots of ideas, and is incredibly in tune with nature, collecting and growing seeds, finding insects. He notices everything, this boy. I remember driving with him in the car one day in winter, and he remarked on all the birds nests in the bare trees by the side of the road. He was only three or four at the time and I remember thinking how kids always notice what we adults overlook.
He collected these shells for me, and I received them last week. I have never seen such beautiful shells! Each one is special. They have the most intricate patterns and details and I plan to do a series of paintings featuring them. My family often give me little presents like this. Postage stamps, stones, scraps of pretty paper, seed pods, leaf skeletons, birds nests (thank you Mum, Dad and Chris!). Gifts like these mean the world to me, because it shows how well my family understand me. Thank you Isaac! x
I've never seen such a tiny perfect sea urchin shell!
