Five elements are thought to exist in Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese practice of interpreting environments. These are: earth, water, fire, metal and wood. Colors are also believed to represent these elements. In the image above, a blazing red leaf gives the impression of fire. Its fire quality is emphasized even more by its triangular shape which is reminiscent of the tongue of a flame.
Brown garden stones, shown supporting one another above, represent the earth element, a symbol for wisdom. Along with browns, yellows and oranges also allude to the nurturing earth. Square shapes emphasize this element even further.
The wood element, which symbolizes growth, is ubiquitous in a forest landscape where it is revealed in a variety of greens. Yet, even near the ocean or in the city, green growth is not difficult to find. The branch shape in the green floral stems above, found along a salt marsh, underlines the wood element in this image even further.
White, grey, silver and gold reveal the metal element in nature. Positively, this element can communicate strength and solidity. Negatively, it can suggest sadness, as in the image above, of an overcast and rainy day at the beach.
Water can be represented in a landscape by a pond or stream, but also by the presence of cool, dark blues as shown in the Blue Flag Iris at left. A bed of black tulips planted in the shape of a meander would be especially representational of the water element.
Like nature, color can be both simple and complex. It never ceases to amaze or arouse wonder in those who seek to understand it better.
This post is written to provide further insight into the relationship between the elements and color in nature, as first introduced in my earlier post about a Midsummer’s Scavenger Hunt.
I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.
~ Georgia O’Keefe
Grr.. I forgot I was going to do this challenge. I already have a blog in the works for today but I am going to keep my camera handy so I can do it tomorrow. 🙂
Jessica
Lovely post – good things to think about.
Good reminder! You’re educating us, as well as providing a fun scavenger hunt.
Thanks for the additional clarification re: feng shui. Admitttedly, I don’t “get” feng shui. Like, how can a gray seascape (real water) qualify as “metal” but a stone, from which metal comes, doesn’t necessarily?
For the scavenger hunt, which is preferable–the actual element, or a representation of it?
I was out with my camera again today, this time at Sardis Park. (Want to see the Sardis ducks, Amy?) I think I got some neat shots, but will have to figure out how to view them on computer to tell for sure. I am one technologically challenged gal! So far, I only know how to TAKE pictures with my digital camera. What do you use to get such amazing close-ups, like the poppy?
Is this scavenger hunt a competition? Like, who gets their photos in first? Or whose are the best, or what? ;0D
P.S. How come AIR isn’t considered one of the elements???
There’s lots of time left before the July 20th deadline Jessica. No need to rush.
JoAnn and Kathy, thanks for your comments. Hope I’ve given you yet another way to look at nature.
Joan, it took me some time to get my head around feng shui too. For the scavenger hunt, it’s the essence of the thing that’s most important. Not everyone might have access to the ‘real’ element in their environment. The most important thing is to have fun. Creative expression releases endorphins.
For the close-ups I just basically get… close up. It’s easier with some subjects than with others. Once the image is on my computer I also crop it. Taking photographs is something I’ve only started doing regularly since I began keeping this nature journal last October. In the past, I was always more keen to make a drawing than take a photo of anything. If I can do it, anybody can.
The scavenger hunt prizes will be clarified in a future post before the deadline. The spirit of the spring scavenger hunt organized by Kathy at http://centria.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/lets-have-a-scavenger-hunt/ was more cooperative than competitive and I’d like to keep that in this hunt as well.
Air is included in numerous element sets (Greek, Japanese, Tibetan, Hindu, Medieval and Buddhist) – but not the Chinese one I decided to use.
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