The Serendipitous Nature of Being...

Or how one things leads to another!

“Every sunrise is a poem written on the earth with words of light, warmth, and love.”
― Debasish Mridha

Can you feel it? Does it make you catch your breath? Are your eyes streaming yet?

I think I’m probably correct in assuming you’re not experiencing any of the aforementioned. To the casual observer, the above image is of an ethereal sun rise, pools and washes of clouds painted on the sky, the earth dotted with the merest hint of green shoots, tree branches, skeletal, stretching skywards…

Not for you, the blast of cold air, nearly sweeping you off your feet as you left the lee of the hedgerow. Not for you, the wind whipping your scarf and hair into a tangled mess. Not for you, tears running down your cheeks. Not for you, the gasp as another gust barrels across the open farmland.

Now, don’t get me wrong - I did enjoy my walk. I returned home refreshed, my fingers and toes tingling, and my day ahead mapped out. The steaming coffee never tasted as good!

But it just goes to show; sometimes a photo doesn’t tell the whole story!

And sometimes, when I fall victim to comparisonitis, I need to remind myself of that…

It’s all too easy, especially when things haven’t been going so well, when you question whether you will ever be able to create again, when that inner critic sits heavily on your shoulder, to look at social media and…fall into a pit of ‘compare and despair’. I’m sure I’m not alone. I see all the fantastic artwork, read of all the successes, incredible audience growth, brilliant sales….and think, ‘That’s it! Who do I think I am, to think I can do this'?’

There’s no images of discarded work in the corner from these artists, no tales of slumps in creativity, no worries about lack of sales…it’s all perfect!!

Mountains of discarded work...

But we all know that’s not the whole picture - well, for the majority of us it isn’t. And I don’t think it helps to portray it as such. I feel it’s much more useful to tell the story as it is, warts and all, the ups and downs and everything in between. To be authentic.

Being an artist is a somewhat solitary profession; it’s all too easy to get swept along with those self-doubts. Before you know it, you’re in a circle of negativity, listening only to that inner critic. I won’t promise to have all the answers, but I find that just knowing you aren’t alone in your worries is a big help!! Whatever doubts you have, I’ve most likely been there, or am still there. Let’s start a conversation - what’s your biggest hurdle right now?

serendipity (n.) the occurrence and developments of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

I often receive comments about my generosity when showing my processes via my videos, discussing methods, sharing others’ work etc. Whether it’s my age or experience, I’m a big believer in Karma. What goes around, comes around; if I can help someone, I will.

So, imagine how thrilled I was to be asked to be a ‘guinea pig/tester’ for Janette Phillips’s new online course ‘Indigo A Gogo 3 - Deconstructed Florals’.

Testing out Janette Phillips' new course...

This invite couldn’t have come at a better time for me; I’d begun to feel as if I was flailing around a little with my creativity. And what a breath of fresh air this course is!! If you’re a beginner, wanting to explore materials and push boundaries, or a more experienced artist wanting a refresher, this course is all that and more! Janette demonstrates exercises, explores the materials, pushes compositions, all the time talking through her thoughts and processes; it left me wanting to try out different colours (which is a big thing for me as you know that I prefer more muted shades!!) and new compositions! Why not head on over to her website and take a peek!

And while we’re on the subject; Janette and I recorded a Coffee Break chat a while back, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks!

“Everybody's life has these moments, where one thing leads to another. Some are big and obvious and some are small and seemingly insignificant.”

Peter Jackson

It’s funny how the human psyche works isn’t it? Fired up by trialling Janette’s course, I suddenly felt much more inclined to notice other inspirations such as:

• Whitney Barkman’s Substack - A Quiet Moment. Based in British Colombia, Canada, Whitney calls herself a ‘forest wanderer’. Her feed is full of beautiful, ethereal images; from the majesty of the mountain peaks, to the tiny details of the forest flora. Definitely worth taking a look!!

• Trying out new recipes! This One Pan Spinach, Leek, Pea & Pesto Orzo was delicious!

  

  Healthy Made Simple by Ella Mills

• Finding delight in the changing light and shadows! Flowers by Freddie’s Flowers (no affiliation - just a thoughtful OH!!)

  

  Changing Light...

• Finding new places to eat! No, I’m not always thinking of my stomach, but The New Chapel at Greylees looked interesting! And the food was good too!

• Looking through old sketchbooks is always a favourite exercise, if only to see how your work has developed!

• And finding old videos you created reminds you of what interests you!

• And this certainly brought a smile to my face if nothing else!!

Where do you look/search/go to for inspiration?

Until next time,

P.S. This is a free publication but if you feel that it provides interest and inspiration, and would like to support me with this work, please consider becoming a paid subscriber - thank you!!