Nature-inspired art at Cottage by the Sea

Nature-inspired art at Cottage by the Sea

Nature is interwoven into Cottage by the Sea experiences not just through the activities the children undertake outdoors, but through the indoor environment at Cottage too.

When the building at Main Cottage was redeveloped in 2020, the design was inspired by nature – emphasising north-facing windows for natural light, ocean views through south-facing windows out to sea, and greenery everywhere else you look. For painted walls, this meant bringing the outdoors in through nature-inspired art.

“Nature artwork can help bridge the gap between time spent in green spaces and time spent indoors or in urban environments,” writes nature photographer Max Foster. Research has shown that window views and images of nature reduce activity of the sympathetic nervous system (where the fight-or-flight response is generated) and increase activity of the parasympathetic nervous system (where the rest-and-digest response is generated), in addition to enhancing attention and promoting healing.

Not surprisingly, the colours blue and green have been shown to reduce stress by simulating an experience in nature. A 2003 study found that nature images featuring greenery and the sea reduce blood pressure and soothe the nervous system in a similar way to how spending time in green and blue spaces decreases stress and enhances overall health.

We can all attest to the calming feelings that nature evokes – whether that be through walking barefoot on a natural surface such as grass or sand, feeling the sunlight or breeze on your skin, breathing in fresh air, listening to the sounds of nature around you, or taking in the beauty of a coastal or mountainous landscape. We invite visiting children to experience these things on Cottage programs, with scientific research and anecdotal insights showing us that nature does leave a lasting impact.

A Melbourne art dealer kindly donated some nature-inspired artworks that are hanging on the walls surrounding the children’s dorms upstairs at Main Cottage. These beautiful artworks adoring our walls have the capacity to emulate the restorative feelings of spending time in nature for visiting children to Cottage by the Sea.