By Natalie Murphy

Nature mirrors what it means to be a woman. In the way wind dances in hair, making it full of knots and twists, exasperating one’s feminine urge to look put together. Or its ability to imprint and fossilize aspects of character much like a mother does with her daughters. 

It feels particularly poetic to be able to experience nature as a female. Maybe it is the nurturing tendencies, the ability for new growth or the resemblance of beauty that has created the reference of mother nature, understood so deeply throughout the world, but in a place like Fayetteville, it feels symbiotic. 

Arkansas, known as the Natural State, lives up to the title in more ways than one. Between the surrounding Ozarks that are masked by towering trees and the peaceful water of the streams that flow through Northwest Arkansas, there is much to be captured by eye, camera or paintbrush. 

Coexisting alongside Mother Earth are female creatives at the University of Arkansas. Inspired in a state known for its many hiking trails, shimmering rivers and vast wilderness, it’s not surprising there are many female students who choose to implement this connection in their work. And for each of their creations, there is a different approach and identity attached to this incredibly complex relationship. 

For most, the immediate illusions that come to mind when characterizing nature and femininity are beauty and elegance. Both in delicacy and strength, it is easy to admire beauty, but sophomore art student Celestia Petrykozy takes a more somber approach to the topic.

“I gravitate towards things that have a lot of contrast and emotional weight. So things that look ditsy but are a lot heavier,” she said. “I feel like, especially as a woman artist, that’s kind of how I feel empowered. To buy into those stereotypes and then subvert them.”

Petrykozy works within the medium of photography, largely capturing images of female confidants in frilly dresses masked by a bareness of trees and desolate surroundings. Her artistry highlights the delicateness of both nature and women and the effect the world has on the livelihood of each. Captured are also themes of death and decomposition in her art, used as reference to rebirth.

“The opportunity that comes from death like animals’ bodies fertilizing soil which transforms energy and so on was kind of the aspect I was really into,” she said. “I do like to draw parallels from roadkill to girlhood in my work. That’s a recurring metaphor for me that I like to revisit.”

Similar to mankind’s yearning to control and tame nature is the idea of the submissive and objectified woman. Both underappreciated, yearning to be seen and allowed to grow in a world that constantly cuts them down. Petrykozys work is a testament to that as she uses “young, beautiful girls in the most oppressive landscapes,” she said.

A different approach to this narrative can also be viewed in much of sophomore Ava Obert’s work. The art major’s delicate paintings of watercolor landscapes of Arkansas never go without the construction of humanity, a theme she portrays stunningly.

Much of her work consists of power lines, cars and buildings amongst greenery and overgrown vegetation: proof of the Earth’s ability to overtake much of human kind’s creations. Obert said it almost feels wrong for her to not include mankind’s imprint into her landscapes.

“I’m always attracted to mother nature and humans colliding. I love painting alleyways with ivy forcing its way into the scene,” Obert said.

It’s the persistence in nature she enjoys painting that can also be seen in women to reclaim their rights, bodies and peace. She recognizes her most serene moments as the times spent with her mentor Duane Hada, an Arkansas landscape painter, and credits him as part of the reason she fell in love with the craft. On their painting trips to the Buffalo River, capturing the mighty currents and white water rapids made her “feel alive” she said. This feeling is one she experiences often and hopes others can continually search for. 

Preservation in this sense is a key factor in many U of A artists. The sustainable approach taken on by many is a true testament to the symbiotic relationship with nature. And with the conversation largely surrounding the fashion industry, the university’s fashion merchandising majors are working to redirect towards a sustainable narrative while finding space for women in the outdoors.

Ashlee Andress, a senior, has taken her love for nature and implemented it into her work throughout her time at the university. In her projects, she takes crucial steps to utilize sustainable materials such as reusing old scraps. One of her biggest pieces made for her Advanced Apparel Production class used thrifted and repurposed items along with the technique of quilting, something she resonates with because of her grandmother.

“My grandmother quilts and has made us quilts. And it’s kind of something you get to pass down, in the same way, if we are good stewards with our Earth, we get to pass that down to our future generations,” she said.

Second to creating sustainably is her urge to pave a solid foundation for other women in the outdoor communities. It is one of the reasons she said she wants to create her own athleisure brand that inspires women to enjoy nature by means of exercise. Her goal is to produce clothing for women such as Obert who enjoys camping and hiking like Petrykozy in Arkansas, finding artistic inspiration from their outdoor experiences. 

The ambiance of Fayetteville’s outdoor community is one to be explored by these women. For Petrykozy and sophomore graphic design student Drew Webb, they immerse themselves in Wilson park, finding uniqueness in the running creeks and the strong trunks of trees. Their creative senses are seemingly heightened, they both said.

“The way you feel nurtured by nature feels feminine,” Webb said. “It flushes out all my anxiety when it comes to being creative. I walk outside and being creative makes sense.”

Between the stresses of school work and maintaining inspiration, Webb said she acclimates better when she isn’t surrounded by such man-made aspects of the world. She takes much of her design inspiration from insects such as beetles and the overall textures and colors of the Earth’s vast palette. They can even be seen implemented into her clothing with the use of decorative felt patches of her graphics that reflect nature’s “organic flow”.

Some of Webb’s most thought-provoking ideas come from her walks along the Razorback Greenway. Her love for trees shines bright as they line the paved path she takes to her classes every day. It’s these moments of outdoor connection provided by Fayetteville that she appreciates so much.

The same is said by Obert, who has an art studio at Mount Sequoyah. Met by the spectacular views of the city provided by the popular lookout spot and the common wildlife, she often finds herself painting on sight, capturing any moment she feels is one to emulate.

“I remember every painting, especially if I painted it on site. I know the story of the painting and who I met and what the weather was like. Getting to be there is just a lot more personal. Getting a sunburn from painting is like a memory. It’s just an imprint on your body of that day and of the painting,” she beautifully explained. 

Not only does the painter share her space with nature and its creations, but also other female creatives who have personal studios within the higher grounds of the mountain, such as her studio neighbor, author Crescent Dragonwagon. The two of them even enjoy a nook together at the very end of the long shared hallway, furnished almost in accordance with the windows’ picturesque view.

Exuberant inspiration comes from female friendships in the creative community and it is even more special when it’s being shared outside.

“There is nothing like being in nature with other women. I can be creative all I want on my own and that feels right, but the type of creativity you feel when you’re with women in nature; you can tell something special is happening,” Webb said.

With the help of her roommate, the graphic designer has taken up the project of illustrating and writing what they like to call the “Willow Fables”, a collection of tales featuring the trinkets and knick-knacks found around their apartment as they explore the ins and outs of Fayetteville. It’s creations such as this that are direct outcomes of female confidants’ exposure to the outdoors. 

Petrykozy’s photography is also a picturesque representation of what working with an all female team is like. Her friends are always the focal point of her work and bring a sense of euphoric girl power to her pieces.

Despite whether or who it is shared, the connection these creatives have with nature is one of nurtured and intellectual understanding. The outdoor spaces utilized are keeping them in touch with themselves as well as the world around them.

“You can be disconnected from people in a room, but it’s hard to be disconnected from wind touching your face or just the tactile experience of nature,” Petrykozy shared.

These experiences yearn to be shared through their artistry and it is what will continue to create pathways for other women creatives. In doing so, the connection and poetic metaphors between mother nature and her daughters will live on for generations, not just as a means for inspiration but as an appreciation for one’s self and surrounding. 

“We have so much more influence than we think we do in our environment. And I think that we, as human beings, get to be the ones to steward it well,” Andress said. “It’s our responsibility to take care of this earth that we live on. If we don’t, people aren’t going to be inspired by it in the future and enjoy it the same level we do.”