Walking with Nala
Here in MN, it’s starting to feel like Spring; the weather is getting warmer, the snow is gone, plants are getting greener, and the flowers are beginning to bloom. I’m currently watching a friend’s dog, Nala. Today, for our daily walk, we ventured out and explored more of my hometown - Andover. The weather for today was one of my favorites - 62 degrees, overcast with light rain throughout the day.
I find joy in rainy days because the green in nature tends to pop out with the help of rain. I also adore how the raindrops catch on leaves.
As we walked, Nala would take the time to sniff all that was around here. As she stopped to sniff, I would stop to observe.
As I walked and observed the beauty around me, I reflected on how Indigenous people would stop to listen to a plant to learn it’s name, rather than identifying the plant. I learned this from Braiding Sweetgrass written by Robin Wall Kimmerer - one of my favorite books where Robin shares the wisdom of Indigenous knowledge. The act of listening to a plant to understand it’s name at a deeper level reminds me of biomimicry; it’s an act of intimacy to learn more from nature.
Looking back to the first BCIs I did for my biomimetic design class, the main difference I noticed was the weather… the BCI journey first began when the weather was crisp and cold. It’s a lot easier to be in nature and connect with the natural environment when the weather is more welcoming. Over the course of the biomimetic class and several BCI’s, biomimicry has provided a new perspective on how to interact with nature, what questions to ask, and what knowledge I can absorb and apply as an artist and designer.
