Unquit Art
Picture the scene: It’s ten at night and both my kids are asleep, but I am exhausted, not inspired. The dishes are everywhere, and I think I’ve got too much sun. These are all my reasons not to draw, but these are also all the reasons I should draw.
Once I start, I get a little engaged, then a little inspired, and then gripped. I start to feel the communication and connectedness, which is me, sharing myself with whichever other person may see my art. At the end I feel good. Simply: I do art to feel good.
I grew up in a family of artists, who encouraged creativity freely, and after a few years teaching primary art and drama, I went to University and studied Textile Design, I had a brilliant time, and had to do art every day, but after university, my life got more hit and miss. Some of my career was very creative, like having a pottery or selling my paintings at London markets; some not so, like PR.
When my daughter started school I drew a line under that time, and went back to designing textiles. This led me to a very creative time, but by the time my son was born I had again stopped drawing. My maternity leave ran out, I was supposed to be drawing and turning the results into textile design, but still no art. I was fed up of trying to create design that sells; I was fed up of designing and needing to keep it secret (the fashion industry is very sensitive about upcoming design); I had too many school runs, and baby feeds... The list goes on!
Everyone’s life can get busy and stressful and repetitive. If you want time for your art you have to make it - even 30 minutes a week will add up.
Then a friend announced that he was going to do a drawing a day for a year. And even though I have two kids and a business to run, I chose to do it too. It’s been magic! A total gift! Creating a drawing every day has led me back to my joy in art - art for fun. And it has given me space to tackle subjects that don’t usually work well for me, or that I’m not good at. After all, with one a day, there is plenty more room to try again. I’m getting better with practice and I’m inspiring others. Many people have commented how much they enjoy the daily drawing; some have started drawing as a result of my project.
All my life when I tell people I am an artist I am met with sighs of envy;
“Oh, I used to like drawing but...”
“I liked art but I don’t have time now...”
“I wish I could draw but I’m no good at it...”
This has all led me to this book, practice and you can be good I tell people, I used to be poor like every beginner is, I am still nowhere near as good as I want to be, but perhaps a little gentile help to unquit art is a good idea.
You can colour bits in, you can add to it, you can copy it or trace it (its practice not cheating) you can be inspired by it, you can scribble in it, stick things in it, and you can share it with your friends. The book has ideas, tips and encouragement.
Even a little art will heal; creation is the true source of happiness for ourselves and others.
Have a little art time, have a little happy time.
Picture the scene: It’s ten at night and both my kids are asleep, but I am exhausted, not inspired. The dishes are everywhere, and I think I’ve got too much sun. These are all my reasons not to draw, but these are also all the reasons I should draw.
Once I start, I get a little engaged, then a little inspired, and then gripped. I start to feel the communication and connectedness, which is me, sharing myself with whichever other person may see my art. At the end I feel good. Simply: I do art to feel good.
I grew up in a family of artists, who encouraged creativity freely, and after a few years teaching primary art and drama, I went to University and studied Textile Design, I had a brilliant time, and had to do art every day, but after university, my life got more hit and miss. Some of my career was very creative, like having a pottery or selling my paintings at London markets; some not so, like PR.
When my daughter started school I drew a line under that time, and went back to designing textiles. This led me to a very creative time, but by the time my son was born I had again stopped drawing. My maternity leave ran out, I was supposed to be drawing and turning the results into textile design, but still no art. I was fed up of trying to create design that sells; I was fed up of designing and needing to keep it secret (the fashion industry is very sensitive about upcoming design); I had too many school runs, and baby feeds... The list goes on!
Everyone’s life can get busy and stressful and repetitive. If you want time for your art you have to make it - even 30 minutes a week will add up.
Then a friend announced that he was going to do a drawing a day for a year. And even though I have two kids and a business to run, I chose to do it too. It’s been magic! A total gift! Creating a drawing every day has led me back to my joy in art - art for fun. And it has given me space to tackle subjects that don’t usually work well for me, or that I’m not good at. After all, with one a day, there is plenty more room to try again. I’m getting better with practice and I’m inspiring others. Many people have commented how much they enjoy the daily drawing; some have started drawing as a result of my project.
All my life when I tell people I am an artist I am met with sighs of envy;
“Oh, I used to like drawing but...”
“I liked art but I don’t have time now...”
“I wish I could draw but I’m no good at it...”
This has all led me to this book, practice and you can be good I tell people, I used to be poor like every beginner is, I am still nowhere near as good as I want to be, but perhaps a little gentile help to unquit art is a good idea.
You can colour bits in, you can add to it, you can copy it or trace it (its practice not cheating) you can be inspired by it, you can scribble in it, stick things in it, and you can share it with your friends. The book has ideas, tips and encouragement.
Even a little art will heal; creation is the true source of happiness for ourselves and others.
Have a little art time, have a little happy time.
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