Drawing Therapy

A gentle space connecting with myself

Sat on the balcony painting in the sunshine on holiday

This . . .

Art is the nourishment. It fills me up. It’s the place where all cares ebb away. Stood within this space, there is a sunlit warmth, a gentle refreshing breeze, a blackbird is singing his beautiful song and there is an endless supply of tea. The river gently flows by, the light glinting off the surface casting silver wavelets across the surface of my work and there is dappled light beneath the silver birch tree. Time ceases to exist. There is ease here, no friction. Intuition has slipped past conscious thinking and very gently pushed it back. The release in this subtle shift brings a pure peace. My fragile mind is eased, soothed, gifted a great big gentle hug.

Hello! I have an apology for taking an impromptu break. I hadn’t expected to but it was welcome and I’ve returned with a renewed energy and enthusiasm.

The sun is finally shining. A proper late spring day in the north of the UK at last. We’ve been away at our caravan in the Lake District and my heart is full and there has been some healing since my last post Perhaps all that's needed is a little bit of space. Life right now, isn’t perfect but it’s feeling so much more manageable. Lighter. And yes, the weather really does help.

Re-discovering drawing again, because I don’t often...

I have re-discovered drawing. It crept in and I have relished it. There’s something so refreshingly simple about a sketchbook and pencil. You might imagine that being an artist I’d draw a lot but this isn’t the case. I’ve had periods where I’ve drawn intensely for a month or so and then it passes. I have a feeling this might be like that again. But whilst it’s here, it’s been so welcome.

2 graphite drawings started en plein air of limestone cliffs in Cumbria. These cliffs are far inland but were once surrounded by sea.

A few weeks back I went on a morning’s sketching course in Cumbria. The day was reliably cold and wet because of course, we were sketching outside. The other members of our group had come suitably attired as they were ‘proper Cumbrians’. Me, not so much. I’d forgotten a warm hat, gloves and some walking boots. Getting out of the car into the drizzle from the blanket of low cloud that hovered just above our heads, I smiled bravely and entered into our plein air sketching with conviction. We were provided with a board, paper and some chubby water-soluble graphite sticks. I was grateful for their robust size as the cold was numbing my fingers. It felt a little childlike, wielding this chunky stick and oh so freeing! I was even more grateful however when our teacher said let’s go back to the studio and get a warm brew! Once back inside we spent the rest of the morning drawing and I was happy with my efforts. More importantly I’d so enjoyed being with others and I’d had a lot of fun.

Time away

2 days later, we flew away on holiday to Ibiza. I took my sketchbook and plein air watercolour kit and I painted.

I painted and I sketched for the pure please of it. Sat out on the balcony or taking myself off for a walk and finding a quiet spot.

Sat in a quiet spot painting the view before the rain

Looking out to sea and a tiny island, water lapping the shoreline, sat on some concrete steps and under my holiday hat, I was in my element painting the view. Before I could finish, big fat raindrops began to splat on my page. So I packed up and found a nearby cafe and sat and wrote for nearly 2 hours. It was such a rewarding morning not for any other reason than feeling happy within myself.

Drawing the view from the balcony

Listening to intuition

Since I’ve been home I’ve continued to draw. Not every day, but when I can. When I’ve felt the urge. It’s been important to recognise that and not let it slip past. A moment, an opportunity missed as a distraction takes hold. I have relished this time. My intuition has provided me with the perfect gift and I am listening.

A pencil sketch of a plant over a wall in the Ibizan sunshine

I have been inspired to try more abstracted compositions. Whenever I’ve drawn in the past, it’s always been in an attempt to describe the subject or view as I did in previous years when I painted in watercolours. Now my focus is abstract and so I attempt to try something different. I am enjoying the challenge.

An abstract composition drawing

I have taken lots of photos in a different way this time too. Cropping images and strange angles to see something that’s quite plain and simple, such as this teacup and saucer on a mat, in a more cryptic way. I am eager to draw more of these from the photos I took. They won’t become subjects in my paintings so much as ideas that will translate in different and unexpected ways.

Daisies in a pot sketch

Learning lessons

My art should’ve been a solace for me. I’d allowed myself to be led away in the pursuit of making a success of, hopefully, myself. And then life happened and there has been a sad period. Rather than have my art to lean into, to stabilise me, I’d over-loaded myself again.

I am so thankful now to have rebalanced.

Drawing is holding a gentle space, for me to connect with me. No expectation, no desire to make something magnificent. Just paper, pencils and myself.

A quiet spot and a small drawing and watercolour plein air kit