For Eleanor Hawkins, creativity has always been something to nurture. Her years as an elementary school arts and music teacher helped young students discover their own potential, inspiring admiration and respect in the community. Nowadays, after retiring from the classroom and making a bold life pivot from Kentucky to the mountains of Colorado, she is giving that same encouragement back to herself.
Now a permanent resident of Summit County, Eleanor is building a new artistic chapter rooted in nature, texture, calm, and curiosity. Her preserved moss art reflects both her lifelong creative spirit and the landscape she now calls home: wooded hillsides, shifting skies, alpine trails, mossy creek beds, Lake Dillon stones, weathered wood, lichen, aspen, beetle-kill pine, and the quiet beauty of mountain life.
Her path into her unique moss art began almost immediately after retirement. Just two weeks after her last day of teaching, a Kentucky business approached her about creating moss walls for corporate clients. Had she worked with moss before? No. Did it sound interesting? Absolutely. Was she ready to dive into something entirely new? Without hesitation. Working with moss opened a fresh, creative landscape for Eleanor. Unlike traditional paint or canvas, moss asks the artist to think in color, shape, dimension, and touch.
Its softness, density, and variation create a tactile experience that feels both sculptural and organic. Each piece becomes a living memory of place, even though the moss itself is preserved and no longer alive. That question comes up often at art shows. As visitors run their fingers through her samples, the first thing they usually ask is, “Is it living?” The answer is no, but that is part of the magic. The moss is preserved through a process of dehydration, then rehydration with glycerin and color, allowing it to maintain its lush appearance without watering, misting, or other maintenance. Once hung away from direct light, the work can be enjoyed.
For Eleanor, that ease is part of the appeal. Her biophilic designs bring nature indoors in a way that feels accessible, calming, and lasting. Her pieces evoke a sense of stillness and connection to the natural world, offering viewers a moment of peace and reflection amid a hurried, overstimulated world. This emotional resonance invites viewers to find their own sense of calm through her work.
Living in Summit County has deepened that connection. The mountain environment provides endless inspiration: shadows moving across hillsides, evening light changing across the sky, water rushing over creek beds, and the textures discovered on walks and hikes. Eleanor often incorporates rocks gathered near Lake Dillon, sculptural pieces of wood found on trails, and frames made from reclaimed local materials. Her husband builds the custom frames, using wood with its own history: traces of lichen, beetle activity, weathered surfaces, and sometimes even old barn paint. Those frames are an essential part of the story. Guided by the natural materials themselves, moss becomes landscapes in the frame. Each piece carries the feeling of Summit County, not as a literal scene, but as an atmosphere, and it’s impossible not to feel it. Art shows have become an important part of Eleanor’s journey, offering her the chance to share her work directly with the public. She enjoys witnessing the wonder and curiosity in visitors encountering her medium for the first time. Seeing their surprise and delight fosters a sense of connection and shared appreciation. Those conversations, often about moss, lichen, preservation, and the natural world, have helped her build relationships and connect with clients who become ambassadors for her work. For Eleanor, moments like that are fuel to keep creating. After years spent helping others find their creative voice, Eleanor Hawkins is now fully embracing her own. Her preserved moss art is a reflection of reinvention, place, partnership, and wonder. It is proof that creativity does not retire. It changes form, finds new material, and keeps growing. In Eleanor’s hands, nature becomes art, and art becomes an invitation to pause, breathe, and bring a little more of the outside in.
@elhawkinscreative
elhawkinscreative@gmail.com
