Author: Cindi Lou Grant
Seth M. Johnson’s artistic talent doesn’t need much explanation to capture our imaginations. His famous watercolors blend nature and whimsical dream-states to create art that is truly mesmerizing. Our partnership with Seth was sparked by this captivation and we are proud to continue supporting his craft. In fact, purchases from the Artist Series support Seth's artistic journey as well as future collaborations.
You may ask how we coerced him to work with us. Well, Seth, like us, believes that a child's imagination gains a unique perspective from playing outside. Our culture is shifting away from nature, and course-correcting that loss put us on the same path. Instilling a spirit of adventure in kids is our mutual mission and our products are made with that intention. “Nothing will mean more to me than my experiences at the ocean and in the mountains (as a kid). Feeling the earth and developing a relationship with the big rock we're floating on is so important,” Seth tells me.
Originating from Hawaii, where the breeze is sweet and the surfing world-class, this island paradise had a big influence on Seth’s childhood. Maybe more profound was when Seth’s family moved to Utah and he spent many of his developing years inspired by the rugged mountains that surrounded him. “I feel like I got to experience some vastly different landscapes while growing up and it definitely shaped my love for nature,” Seth reminisces.
As a child's imaginative development is more commonly constricted rather than wild and free, our aim in partnering is lofty yet clear; connect children to nature! Seth told me, “I'm so excited to share my art with a company like Sawyer, a brand that feels the same way I do about building a relationship with nature."
Nature therapy, as I laid out a couple posts back, is having big impacts on our brain’s abilities to be creative and focus. Speaking from experience and science, Seth tells me, “I have a strong appreciation and love for nature. It's so therapeutic for me whenever I'm working on something dealing with nature.” That is the absolute bottom line for us, kids with tons of unstructured free time outside are healthy, results don't lie. We intend to make products that inspire kids and parents alike, to spend more time playing outside!
Here is your official invitation to support us as we grow our cause of instilling a spirit of adventure in kids. Get them outside, tag #exploresawyer and join our community!