The Tao of Deco
Malachite and Ruby Necklace
Eco Sterling Silver & Fine Silver
 
I feel it’s hard to go wrong in creative pursuits if you take the patterns of nature as your inspiration. Ugliness is often the result of creating shapes that would never occur naturally in the world, huge monstrous boxes or towering rectangles that dominate the landscape. The hard lines of human commerce represent efficiency, not beauty.
 
That’s one reason why I love Art Deco. We attribute its patterns and style to a very particular time in human civilisation. Yet, when I look at the fanned tail of a Magpie or the lined curves of a shell, it’s clear that the artists and architects of the Art Deco period were drawing on the patterns of nature for inspiration.
 
The concept of Li in ancient China described the patterns of nature and its constantly changing forms. Alan Watts astutely pointed out that these patterns always appear perfect; whether it be the grain of wood, the crystal formations of frost or the movement of water, the effortless unfolding of nature never fails to incite awe in the watchful observer.
 
This way of thinking is fundamental to the philosophy of the Tao. Taoism stresses the importance of falling into a state of unity with nature, becoming part of its beautiful unfolding pattern; being led and moved by its primordial force. This runs counter to the modern aspiration to impose our will and desires on the world around us. From the rampant consumption of industry to the self-help gurus of the New Age, there is always an element of hubris in the idea that the world and reality need us to dictate on its behalf or ‘manifest’ a life we desire.
 
We live in a confusing and anxiety-inducing world, and yet nature and its patterns remain an eternal source of serenity and inspiration for those who are willing to forgo the distractions and really take the time to look.