Art and Nature

Photo by Laurie Collett 2024

On a recent day trip to St. Petersburg, Florida, my husband and I took an afternoon hike in the Boyd Park Nature Preserve. The trail wove through varying habitats including scrub forest where sunlight rays streamed through the pines, and bright meadows strewn with yellow and lavender flowers. Dragonflies with sparkling wings darted about, and a surprised snake slithered across the path.

Then we followed a boardwalk over marshy areas where tall, dark cypress trees hovered menacingly over cypress “knees,” or knobby roots that grew out of the water, resembling families of ghostly figures. A baby alligator languished in the stream, his eyes surveying the scene while most of his body remained hidden in the murky water.

Finally we arrived at the trail’s main feature – a deep, broad lake offering beautiful views and a home to many waterfowl, including a majestic blue heron striking a statuesque pose and graceful white egrets soaring upward on the wind. A white oystercatcher, with the distinctive tuft on its head, black legs with bright yellow stripes, and yellow feet, was fishing at the water’s edge. When it caught its prey, the rhythmic dance of its bobbing head and undulating neck as it swallowed was poetry in motion.

But what most caught our eye was a tall, silver metal sculpture beside the lake of an anhinga, or cormorant, an unusual black waterfowl that can’t fly when its wings are wet. After diving for its prey, it settles on a low tree limb or other perch with its wings spread, waiting patiently for them to dry. While in that state it is vulnerable to alligators or other predators that could pounce while the bird could not escape.

The sculptor Paul Eppling’s talent was evident not only in the accurate and beautiful depiction of the bird with its spread wings, made from scrap metal and discarded auto parts, but in how he placed it to enhance its natural setting and be enhanced by it. The sculpture seemed to change with each passing cloud or shimmer of the sun, reflecting new facets of its structure and surface.

As we gazed in awe, we were thrilled to see an actual cormorant land on the sculpture, which it chose as a perfect perch to dry out its wings! Not only did the beauty of the bird augment the visual impact of the artwork, but the sculpture now had a useful purpose in protecting the wildlife in the habitat it occupied. It was a comfortable and convenient place to rest, and I wondered if the sun’s rays reflecting off the metal might hasten drying of the wings and confuse or frighten predators.

I also pondered whether the anhinga realized it was resting on its likeness, and sought out the sculpture for that reason, like a person might pause when they catch a glimpse of their reflection in the mirror? Or was it just a handy place to take a nap?

As human beings created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27), are we attracted to His attributes? Do we seek to be more like Him each day? Once we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), do we allow His Holy Spirit to mold us into His image?

The sculptor used discarded junk to create this beautiful sculpture in the image of one of God’s creations. Many of the most renowned artistic masterpieces of all time have been directly inspired by nature, for the heavens declare His handiwork (Psalm 19:1). God, the supreme Artist and Creator, made man in His own image by breathing life into the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). He endowed us with free will, so we can choose to be like Him or to rebel.

The apostle Paul warns us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that God’s perfect will may be realized in us (Romans 12:2). This is possible only by yielding to the Holy Spirit as He guides us through the process of progressive sanctification, or becoming more holy. As we pray, study God’s Word, and follow His perfect plan for our lives, we become more like Him.

Others can then see God’s qualities reflected in and through us – His love, mercy, grace and wisdom. Jesus Christ no longer walks this earth in His glorified body, but sits at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews 10:12). Until He comes again, we can be His representation in this world, to lead others closer to Him (Colossians 1:10; Matthew 5:16).

When we are at our most vulnerable, do we cling even closer to His virtues, understanding that His wisdom, power and love can strengthen and comfort us? Do we realize that we can access these by yielding to Him, for He has given us the mind of Christ?  (1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 15:6).

In our Christian walk, sometimes God allows us a mountain top experience of soaring like eagles (Isaiah 40:31). But at other times, we find ourselves in the valley of despair (Psalm 23:4), our wings wet and our spirits dampened. At those times, our best option is to wait on the Lord to dry and strengthen our spiritual wings, so we can once again be in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) with Him!  

© 2024 Laurie Collett