the natural order . . .

an introduction

The bond between artists and those who manage the land is a historic one. What binds them is their appreciation of particular places and landscapes. While one articulates this through a need to nurture and maintain and the other records and interprets, both understand that the best way to protect the landscape is to get other people to share their passion.

Artists are particularly good at this. They have the right tools to make connections between people and their environment. They are able to communicate the particular narrative of each landscape, knitting together the stories of its heritage, its wildlife and its people through a variety of different media.

As such, artists create both physical landmarks that help us to identify where we are, and emotional landmarks, stories, films, plays and songs that help us to define and explore our relationship with the landscape. They help us to access, enjoy and, therefore, care about the land.

In this age of processed foods and mobile populations our relationship with the land has never been more remote or sanitised. Now, more than ever, we need artists to help us reconnect with the landscape. They are natural partners for those working in protected landscapes wanting to promote, record and protect their beauty for generations to come.