Commune With Nature

There is a place I escape to outside of Columbus, Ohio. It’s a rustic ecological retreat center located on a land preserve, just an hour and a half outside of the city, past soft rolling hills, farms and country stores.

The place is set up on the principles of deep ecology and simple living. There are three small rustic cabins with no electricity or running water. Instead, there are glowing hurricane lamps, old-fashioned basins and pitchers of fresh water and a pair of binoculars. There’s also a charming outhouse with a lovely view of the trees.

An exercise in deprivation? No, an exercise in creativity. Because once I find that I’m comfortable and safe, the barriers fall and I slow down and engage with nature.

Throwing aside my urban pressures and deadlines, I find my creative energies rising to my brain. It may seem trite, but communing with nature can be the quickest way to push that inspiration button you occasionally have trouble reaching.

Nature has been inspiring creativity for centuries. At Tiffany’s, Gene Moore’s windows often featured some natural setting for something delicate, like a butterfly pin. As recently as last Christmas, Simon Doonan featured a giant “Hero” tree in Barneys’ green windows.

Environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy plays with the elements he finds during a daily walk. On a recent walk of my own, while I was working on a project for Victoria’s Secret (which required creating a 30-foot wing wall), I discovered a fallen blue bird along the path. That allowed me to get an up-close look at the construction of the bird’s wing and the patterns and various sizes of the feathers. This amazing design allows this beautiful bird to fly. Observing nature up close assisted me in planning and executing a glorious wing wall.

Especially today, there’s a global call for all of us to rethink the way we do basically everything. The best way to connect with the heart of this mission is to acknowledge our own relationship with nature. With a growing focus on improving our ecological awareness and greening our world, our creative spirit is being called upon to find new, smarter and better ways of looking at our stores, fixtures, products, packaging and marketing messages to support this movement.

You can connect nature and your creative spirit by exploring, observing and enjoying. It’s also a fun and creative way to connect and to engage your team with the green movement. And it may not require an entire weekend at an outhouse in the woods. Simply dedicate just a day to spending some quality time with your other mother, Mother Nature. Or, for a quick creative kickstart, just taking off your shoes and socks and standing on a patch of grass can do wonders.

To truly connect with this mission, disconnect the computers, phones, iPhones, iPods, etc., that dominate your time. Leave them behind and spend a quiet, uninterrupted day in the outdoors.

Go for a walk: I love a nice long walk along the beach. Like a kid, I keep my eyes peeled for everything – sea shells, sea life, driftwood. On a trip to Florida for a Chico’s project, I was inspired by the smooth texture, soft curves and organic shape of the driftwood. It led me to use wood to merchandise Chico’s accessories. Seeking driftwood also led me to discover other wood containers, risers and forms. The warm tones, smooth texture and interesting shapes of the wood mixed magically with the vibrant metals and unique assortment of accessories.

Experience weather: Stick to your plans, rain or shine. More often than not, we think negatively about the weather. We allow rain or snow or just gray weather to ruin our day, rarely experiencing it except to run from one building to another. Instead, try immersing yourself in the weather, good or bad. Bundle up and walk in the snow; feel the heat; cover up and get out in the rain. It will change your perception about the weather. It will also help you to connect with the shoppers for whom you design stores, the ones who are buying winter coats and summer shoes.

Play: Plan a nature-inspired activity to ignite the true creative self, too often hidden behind projects and deadlines. For the Iron Merchant Visual Challenge, at VMSD’s 2007 International Retail Design Conference in Atlanta, I instructed the teams to create a green-inspired display using limited resources. The creative juices flowed, the teams were passionately engaged in the mission. Play (and competition) became creativity and inspiration.

Do nothing: Watch the ants work, for a change. Perhaps you’ll discover a new traffic pattern for your store. Stretch out in a hammock and notice the layers of light and color as the sun shines through the leaves. Maybe it will inspire a new line of gift packaging. Sit on the side of a creek and feel the texture of the soft mosses, the rough bark and the slippery stones. Notice the shades of green and grays and the reflective qualities of the water. Lay in a field and smell the grass. Yes, even smell the flowers. Give nature a chance to inspire your creative spirit. Then go back to work. x

Joe Baer is owner and founder of Zen Genius, a visual merchandising services and event decorating firm based in Columbus, Ohio.