Maybe that’s an extreme statement, but on Thursday I acquired a rotten mood that I just couldn’t shake.
I had had a long, frustrating appointment in the morning, and despite being an evolved human with a regular meditation practice, I was unable to shake “the mutters.”
You know the mutters, right? That’s when you get a conversation stuck in your head, when you rehearse both parts that either happened in the past or may happen in the near future. It’s a total waste of time, and yet the human mind at times just seems to love chewing on a bone wrapped in barbed wire.
After the appointment, on the way back from the bus stop, I paused at a café. I was still too snarly to face going home to a long list of housework and computer chores. Instead, I purchased a tall iced coffee and claimed one of the classic black mesh steel tables outside the café. With perfect weather (which I hadn’t noticed until that moment!), I pulled out my carry-with-me-everywhere sketchbook and compact art tool kit, took a deep breath and looked around.
“Help, I need inspiration,” I silently informed my surroundings. “Talk to me so the inside of my head will shut up!”
Here is what I noticed, painted, then journaled in my sketchbook:
“August 8th, 2024. 2:00 PM pause to breathe
“Nothing can steal my joy –
but I can certainly forfeit it in a heartbeat.” – bh
I found myself doing battle in my head with a person who was no longer in the room – thus, the source of the pain became obvious to me! [It was me!]
No amount of positive thinking or meditation or affirmation was going to guide me out of the pit, but watercolor can, every time!
Ivy on the north side of a brick wall, reaching to the east in the morning and the west in the evening. .. no need to “choose” the right way to go… just GO! A photosynthesis party is always in order.”
This brief story is yet another example of my “Why” from pages 10-12 in the new Second Edition of Look at That! Discover the Joy of Seeing by Sketching.
Why do I sketch? To change the channel in my head. To heighten an already-good day, or change directions on a tough day. Or even if it’s just a tough moment. It’s the pause that refreshes my interior life.
Three “How” Questions I Often Ask When Sketching:
1- How do I find a view that interests me? (Answer: simmer down.)
2- How do I mix the colors that will work? (Answer: years of playful practice. Just keep going.)
3- How do I know when to stop? (Answer: When I notice I just leaned back and smiled.)
In next week’s post I’ll introduce Secret #5 in the series, “The 8 Secrets of Watercolor.” In the meantime, tuck a portable sketchbook, a pencil, and a little palette and brush into your day bag. It’s the cheapest therapist you’ll ever have.
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If you would like to purchase a copy of “Look at That! – SECOND EDITION” be sure to look for the version with the green stripe down the left side of the cover, and the words “SECOND EDITION” in the blue cloud at the top of the cover. The easiest shortcuts to find this new book are below: simply click on whatever version you prefer.
“Look at That! – SECOND EDITION”
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Aloft with Inspiration 