Sunday 23rd February
it is still winter.
And that is okay.
That’s what I keep telling myself as I long for spring.
I so badly want to be sowing flowers in the garden.
Luckily there are lots of mimosa blooms and a few daffodils.
But I am reminding myself (yet again) that winter/rest is a necessary part of the process. We need to compost the old from which the new can grow from.
I’m trying not to put too much pressure on drawing, but I would really love to cultivate a drawing practice that feels good this year.
Today Iwan went to meet some friends and I had a couple of solo hours ahead of me so, rather than clean the kitchen, I decided to create a sort of “date” for my creativity.
I made a pot of herbal tea, lit some incense, created a lovely spot under an umbrella outside (the sun has been gloriously shining today, oh February in Portugal), put on a playlist and made a salad from the garden (which always feels like a love letter in return for all the hours I put into it).
I read some pages from The Creative Act and pulled a tarot card (three of wands). And then I accidentally on purpose spent over an hour drawing and it felt glorious and soul filling. I am working on a private commission at the moment, so even though it is essentially “work”, I feel ever more grateful that this could be my experience of work if I allowed myself to make it into a beautiful ritual.
For balance I also ate a lot of chocolate and then cleaned the kitchen.
In The Creative Act, Rick Rubin speaks of how everyone is creative, it is not something extraordinary that only a few are born with. To create is just to bring into the world something that wasn’t there before. It can be from the way you rearrange your furniture to a conversation with a friend.
“To live as an artist is a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. [..] Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away.”
So if there’s something you’re wanting to cultivate this year, firstly allow the composting phase its time (note to self), and then make it as lovely as you can. If you’d like to be creative and you’re not too sure where to start, I have a little digital book in the shop, Ways to Be Calm, filled with a few simple drawing prompts (and you don’t need to be “good” at drawing to use them!)
The other thing I’ve been really enjoying is drawing some one line drawings in my sketchbook. These feel so light hearted and fun. Here’s the dogs from this week:
Well that’s my little Sundaze ramble, thanks for reading these meandering pages, and I hope you stay gentle with yourself as we make this last hurdle through winter.
So much love,
Carissa
