Saturday, January 12, 2013

Cycles: One Year Ago Today

Sketchbook page, January 12, 2012  Canson #1557 Drawing pad, 9X12, 90 lb paper 

Keeping a journal is a way for me to glimpse into my past. Seasonal patterns often emerge. The annual return of the morning light of January & February energizes me.  

A year ago today I had started a practice of Daily Drawing, influenced by a some of you at Blogspot. By March I was getting ready to go on a trip to France & I abandoned it for my travel journals.

Yesterday I finished a week long art class on creating picture books. It put me on an edge of comfort: drawing from memory & imagination. It's something I, like many (most?) children, loved to do in childhood. Then some outside voices shut that down & sketching the concrete life before me became my trusted process. I'm continuing to play with the new/old practice of creating from imagination. And today I've taken out what's left of my year old sketch pad so I can do one observational journal drawing. Will I do this for the next 365 days?
The future will take care of itself, they say. 

Last year there was a big snow on this day, this year we're in the midst of a January thaw. Looking at the above page, a year ago I was in a state of gratitude. 365 days later, that hasn't changed. 

I'm glad to be here. Good January 12 Day to You!


9 comments:

  1. you are so talented. i admire your abilities.

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  2. Isn't it sad that our inner critic takes over to make us give up what we were enjoying? Drawing from memory or imagination isn't easy for the inner critic to take. I did do a years worth, month by month, of nature journaling and its going to be priceless this coming year now if only I can get the gumption up and keep going since things DO change around us yearly. Love your journal page. One thing nice about blog land.. we encourage each other to keep going and to enjoy the process along the way.

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  3. What a great idea this was! I recognized the Martinelli's bottle even before I enlarged the image. The mug is gorgeous! What I want to know, though, is how your dummy is progressing after the week-long class.

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  4. So nice to read your reflection of 2012 and your drawing throughout the year. It sounds inspiring. I am hoping to do more this year. Even though I haven't picked up a pen/pencil/brush for anything artistic in a month... I do feel some inner urge to 'begin again'. Tomorrow's another day.... we'll see. Love that January 2012 page you posted!

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  5. Congratulations. I wish I had your discipline. Maybe when I retire.....:-)

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  6. Very nice, I love your sketches! What a great idea to look back at what the day was like a year ago.
    I've been poking around some blogs to get me motivated to sketch regularly again, yours is very inspiring, thank you!

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  7. I love your sketches - such nice bright colors and the page just looks joyful. Good luck on your daily drawing practice.

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  8. I would like to be able to make such sketches myself...
    Best regards from Paris,

    Pierre

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Thank you for your comments! They mean a lot to me!