With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I have been attempting to slow down and fully appreciate the things that delight me.

Art is one of them.

Wildly creative and often outrageous forms of expression boldly invite me to slow the heck down and have a closer look.

And slowing the heck down is essential this time of year.

In fact, staying engaged with the arts is preventative medicine this holiday season.

Each day I try and find something that wows my eyeballs and blows my mind. Luckily there is an endless stream of brilliance available to access, without even having to leave the comfort of my couch.

I recently came across three incredible (and varied) forms of creative expression in which natural elements are used in the process.

Prepare to be dazzled:

1. Air.

The first is a dance troop called Bandaloop. They are dancers who tether themselves to the sides of buildings and dance while dangling in the air like marionettes. It’s a situation that completely defies explanation—and gravity.

When I first saw this video, tears came to my eyes and I held my breath until it was over.

2.  Fire.

Artist Stephen Spazuk paints with fire. Well, more accurately, he carves, erases and manipulates the soot from the flames of candles and oil lamps into insanely intricate images. It’s almost as if the blackness of the smoke-powder is dying to become something more, and he just happens to be there to coax it in the right direction.

3.  Water.

It’s unbelievable what creative people choose to spend their time perfecting. This fellow, free diver David Helder, chose to hone in on mastering the art of blowing rings in the water. Sound elementary? Hardly. It’s nothing less than the perfect choreography of man and nature.

(About mid-way through you really see what he is capable of.)

Tis’ the season to relish in the beauty that surrounds us and to be present.

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Author: Heather Grimes

Editor: Emma Ruffin

Photo: Vimeo Still