PS - have long wanted to do The Artist’s Way but it felt like maybe a commitment of time might be required to do artistic pursuits. But if I reframe that so that tying threads on my living room floor counts, perhaps it is achievable after all!
Yeah absolutely. I don't always do my artist dates. But knowing about them at least means I do them some times, ha. I love that you were making bracelets. Gorgeousness.
That beautiful, un-self-conscious pride! Gorgeous. So last night my mate came for a sleepover and we sat on floor in front of roaring fire and made friendship bracelets while chatting. It was SO LUSH. I’m not a winter person but it was one of this evenings that made me want the cold and dark to linger a little longer. Going to buy some embroidery thread and make more.
I absolutely love this Nelly! I don't really feel like I've done enough glowing in January so it's definitely something to reflect on. In a lovely bit of synchronicity that I feel Julia Cameron would love, my next post is about The Artists' Way!
Amazing drawings by your son! I’ve bought the book (the paperback is cheap on Amazon for anyone wondering) and might try the journalling prompts. I think creativity brings out some maybe slightly uncomfortable feelings for me that I can’t put my finger on. My family always say I am creative but all the crafts I did as a child were ones my cousin did too and her things always looked better than mine. I don’t think I can remember feeling like you describe your son being. Maybe when I was very very small but my clear memories of childhood probably start around 8 ish and from then on I think I always remember being a little disappointed in everything I tried to make. My children are the same I think, they get very frustrated when things don’t meet up to what they looked like in their imagination and they get cross. I think I used to rush stuff too and I think I was made to feel like I didn’t take enough care sometimes. Interesting!
Oh I know those feelings. My sister was (still is) SO talented with anything creative. It leaves a tough trail to follow doesn't it. But it was finding poetry and 'my thing' that actually gave me some confidence I think to be less cross with my attempts. Work in progress though for definite. What is 'your thing'??? Do you know yet? xx
Well as ever this struck a chord!! “He is not wondering whether he could be an artist one day. Make enough cash in the process.” Isn’t that the truth, oh to just tap a little bit of that childish creativity! Think those prompt’s definitely need to be put to the top of my to do list, thanks lovely. Xx
definitely synchronicity going on :) i think many of us are going through this grey winter slump and if that book has already found a way into our lives, it is no wonder we are returning to it now. just when i opened your newsletter i had already planned on re-starting the artist's way in february.
so if it helps you and anyone in this beautiful community to stay motivated: i am again on week one :) and i will take it super slow! probably allow myself all year to re-read and do several of the journalling prompts. i mean i was overwhelmed with them the first time around lol.
going through the scribbles and notes i took when reading the chapters (jeeeez, i know i cannot be the only one whose books look like diaries themselves hehe), i can sense how much growing up i have already done as my artist self: i definitely introduce myself as an artist these days FIRST before mentioning that i am a mother or the wife of or whatnot. and it comes with such ease and grace, there is no false pride in it, i own it and it is the most liberating feeling.
just like you, i am in awe of the boldness of my young teenage daughters, going after their endeavours, one being a ballet dancer of 11 and basically dancing all the time, even when she's in a busy bar lol. and the other one aged 9 who is coming in from school and sitting down with her notes and word files and working on her novels (plural!) like her life depends on it. i learn so much from them!
i am healing that girl that was afraid to draw outside the lines in the colouring book. i am healing the young woman who didn't have her own space, who had to find her own voice, who was ridiculed for being too nice or too much or too anything. i don't care anymore. i wake up and i look at myself in the mirror and i see the artist. she smiles back at me. she is so proud of the work she has done. the creative work but also the work that it took to allow time and space for that creativity to exist in this world.
it is people like you nelly who i will always be grateful for. i know we met by chance. and the moment i felt that connection i knew it would last. so this is getting long and blurry because i started crying. but it feels good and the right thing to say on a grey thursday morning in early february.
here is to the artist in all of us.
we don't have to prove this.
we are born to create.
we are born to love.
we are born to be loved, regardless of the approval of others.
Oh my goodness you are making me cry now Eva. I was ridiculed for being too nice too. And the rest. I'm sure so many of us will have our own versions of being "too". Ah you have inspired a poem here. I am going to go and chase that spark. Thank you. I am so proud of you by the way. I absolutely love watching your art develop. And I am so glad we are still in each others lives. Thank you for writing back to me x
PS - have long wanted to do The Artist’s Way but it felt like maybe a commitment of time might be required to do artistic pursuits. But if I reframe that so that tying threads on my living room floor counts, perhaps it is achievable after all!
Yeah absolutely. I don't always do my artist dates. But knowing about them at least means I do them some times, ha. I love that you were making bracelets. Gorgeousness.
That beautiful, un-self-conscious pride! Gorgeous. So last night my mate came for a sleepover and we sat on floor in front of roaring fire and made friendship bracelets while chatting. It was SO LUSH. I’m not a winter person but it was one of this evenings that made me want the cold and dark to linger a little longer. Going to buy some embroidery thread and make more.
I absolutely love this Nelly! I don't really feel like I've done enough glowing in January so it's definitely something to reflect on. In a lovely bit of synchronicity that I feel Julia Cameron would love, my next post is about The Artists' Way!
Oh my goodness I love a bit of synchronicity come voo doo weirdness
I added in a line and linked to this post! X
Amazing drawings by your son! I’ve bought the book (the paperback is cheap on Amazon for anyone wondering) and might try the journalling prompts. I think creativity brings out some maybe slightly uncomfortable feelings for me that I can’t put my finger on. My family always say I am creative but all the crafts I did as a child were ones my cousin did too and her things always looked better than mine. I don’t think I can remember feeling like you describe your son being. Maybe when I was very very small but my clear memories of childhood probably start around 8 ish and from then on I think I always remember being a little disappointed in everything I tried to make. My children are the same I think, they get very frustrated when things don’t meet up to what they looked like in their imagination and they get cross. I think I used to rush stuff too and I think I was made to feel like I didn’t take enough care sometimes. Interesting!
Oh I know those feelings. My sister was (still is) SO talented with anything creative. It leaves a tough trail to follow doesn't it. But it was finding poetry and 'my thing' that actually gave me some confidence I think to be less cross with my attempts. Work in progress though for definite. What is 'your thing'??? Do you know yet? xx
Not really, no! 41 years and counting!
Well as ever this struck a chord!! “He is not wondering whether he could be an artist one day. Make enough cash in the process.” Isn’t that the truth, oh to just tap a little bit of that childish creativity! Think those prompt’s definitely need to be put to the top of my to do list, thanks lovely. Xx
I know. Can you even imagine???!!!
oh nelly!
definitely synchronicity going on :) i think many of us are going through this grey winter slump and if that book has already found a way into our lives, it is no wonder we are returning to it now. just when i opened your newsletter i had already planned on re-starting the artist's way in february.
so if it helps you and anyone in this beautiful community to stay motivated: i am again on week one :) and i will take it super slow! probably allow myself all year to re-read and do several of the journalling prompts. i mean i was overwhelmed with them the first time around lol.
going through the scribbles and notes i took when reading the chapters (jeeeez, i know i cannot be the only one whose books look like diaries themselves hehe), i can sense how much growing up i have already done as my artist self: i definitely introduce myself as an artist these days FIRST before mentioning that i am a mother or the wife of or whatnot. and it comes with such ease and grace, there is no false pride in it, i own it and it is the most liberating feeling.
just like you, i am in awe of the boldness of my young teenage daughters, going after their endeavours, one being a ballet dancer of 11 and basically dancing all the time, even when she's in a busy bar lol. and the other one aged 9 who is coming in from school and sitting down with her notes and word files and working on her novels (plural!) like her life depends on it. i learn so much from them!
i am healing that girl that was afraid to draw outside the lines in the colouring book. i am healing the young woman who didn't have her own space, who had to find her own voice, who was ridiculed for being too nice or too much or too anything. i don't care anymore. i wake up and i look at myself in the mirror and i see the artist. she smiles back at me. she is so proud of the work she has done. the creative work but also the work that it took to allow time and space for that creativity to exist in this world.
it is people like you nelly who i will always be grateful for. i know we met by chance. and the moment i felt that connection i knew it would last. so this is getting long and blurry because i started crying. but it feels good and the right thing to say on a grey thursday morning in early february.
here is to the artist in all of us.
we don't have to prove this.
we are born to create.
we are born to love.
we are born to be loved, regardless of the approval of others.
the approval of our work, our art, our person.
and we can create magic and love every day.
Oh my goodness you are making me cry now Eva. I was ridiculed for being too nice too. And the rest. I'm sure so many of us will have our own versions of being "too". Ah you have inspired a poem here. I am going to go and chase that spark. Thank you. I am so proud of you by the way. I absolutely love watching your art develop. And I am so glad we are still in each others lives. Thank you for writing back to me x
*whispers thank you back*
Aaaaaah, all the ❤️ ! Lovely l!
Loves this post and what a fab drawing from your kids.
I know, he does not get that from me, ha. Thank you x
Ps What a bloody gorge picture too!