From the tiniest acorn grows the mighty oak

I love acorns probably as much as squirrels do! Maybe it's because gathering them in the park across from my childhood home was like finding a treasure of scattered pearls in an enchanted forest.

Maybe it's their earthy nutty smell - or the mighty trees they fall from. Maybe it's the juxtaposition of their design; smooth shiny, often brilliantly colored shell compared to the bumpy, woody, dull or neutral-colored cap.

Intrinsically we all love acorns for the power they hold. That is so aptly illustrated in Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous quote, "The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."

Anyway - I've often incorporated acorns in my work, whether as a botanical illustrator, fiber artist, or now as a "Zentangler." Here are a few examples. I hope they give you food for thought and inspire you to realize your own strength and confidence in self expression.

The original "Botangle" drawing in black and white that I then colored as shown above.

This is a miniature piece that I drew in colored pencil for a "Drawing on History" class I taught at the Denver Botanic Gardens School for Botanical Illustration. It is in the style of famous 16th century artist Joris Hoefnagel. He was commissioned by Emperor Rudolf II to illustrate the Mira calligraphiae monumenta  or Model Book of Calligraphy that inspired this piece.

I've been obsessed with fiber and fiber arts for decades. Here are some colorful acorns that I felted and adorned with the caps from real acorns. A few real "McCoys" are scattered amongst that I recently gathered when I visited my daughter in Houston.

P.S. Did you know that there are BLUE acorns?!!