“Weekly Top 10 Picks” can be contributed by anyone in the SR community. To participate send us a note here.
By Karina (karinaraf_)

Spring is here. A season of growth and reawakening. My picks this week include pieces inspired by nature and growth. 

The Wild Within – ‘Hollow’ by @ryankoopmans

‘Hollow’ captures the beauty of a historical abandoned place and adds a different kind of life back to it. You can see the effect of time on this classical structure. The insides have deteriorated, and nature has taken over. A gentle breeze is blowing and the flowers are swaying. I can’t help but imagine what this place was like before it was abandoned.

In “Everything that’s left”, you’ll notice a change of seasons. The leaves have turned into a beautiful shade of yellow and will soon fall. Two bright furry worms have found themselves in a place that seems abandoned. Their swift movements make me wonder if they’re excited or scared to be there. 

The Electric Nature series transports me to a dreamy world. I’m fascinated by the unique long table, with its ups and downs, extending to the end of the fields. There’s something about the abundance of lavenders that makes this digital installation look so serene. 

Ergin Ishakoglu: “The end of illusion tells the story of abandoning the shape we took due to time or other external factors and returning to the original form. It’s like coming alive, taking action. The things that I have been neglecting, as in my other jobs. When I was working as a vfx artist, I always had a voice inside me who wanted to do something different. After awhile, I decided to leave my job and follow this instinct, and such things started to emerge”

There are a lot of details in this artwork that catch my attention. The open suitcase lying on the floor. The pillows, vase, and flowers coming to life. The gold expanding from the plate like roots of a plant growing. It feels like coming home and following your truth. 

Lily of the valley is part of Luna Ikuta’s aquatic garden of transparent plants. There’s an eerie feel to these flowers. A plant that’s usually vibrant and planted in soil, is transparent and underwater. Look closely and you’ll see air bubbles clinging to the leaves and floating around. The subtle movements of the flowers remind me how calm and quiet it is underwater. 
Check out Ikuta’s Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/lunaikuta/) to view more of the aquatic garden. 

Orchids are quite delicate, but there’s no denying their beauty when they bloom once a year. The soft glow of these orchids and the iridescent liquid floating around it makes me want to stare at this a little longer.

This bouquet was inspired by the work of biologist Ernst Haeckel, who found art forms in nature. Peter Tarka has created a unique bouquet of flowers, with a neat combination of shapes and colors. Some parts of the flowers remind me of aquatic life. There’s a lot of beauty around us, even in unexpected places. 

Ariel Lu: “I’ve always tried to create something fresh although we’re living in an era where nothing seems original anymore. This series I’m working on, I feel like it’s the beginning of a more accurate definition of my perspective as an artist. The forms are inspired by nature. I was in the direction of exploring softness and roundness in terms of shape and materiality. Curious in how ‘strong’ and soft a round concept can be. Hope you enjoy this first artwork from the series – Sybmiont”

I’m intrigued by the combination of shapes, colors, and textures of this piece. Every time I look at this, I notice something new. I love how it’s both soft and rough at the same time. It reminds me of coral reefs, colorful and teeming with life.

I love this synthetic representation of nature. It is light and bright, and so full of energy. Nature has a way of being an incredible stress reliever. This is a beautiful combination of colors and textures. Every corner brings a sense of delight.

It’s easy to get lost in a daydream while watching clouds with their pillow-like fluffiness float by. When those clouds are replaced by actual pillows, it gets quite interesting. Which is why I’m drawn to this piece. Flower-shaped pillows are floating like clouds outdoors. The warm colors and lines created by the shadows make this piece feel dreamy.