because making art is my religion

The only courage that matters

is the kind that gets you

from one moment to the next.

- Mignon McLaughlin

There's nothing like a quick trip to the hospital

to make me happy to come home.

It was nothing serious -

taking a friend who would not be able to drive back.

But seeing people who are sick

always makes me sad

that so many people are suffering.

It also makes me grateful

for being healthy, and at home.

A bit of sketching on tags again...

I love working with the small size...

and adding a touch of color makes it fun, i think.

When i comes to art supplies,

I'm not big of the idea of buying expensive art supplies

because that would limit art

to those who can afford it

and I think that anyone who wants to make art,

should be able to make art.

I don't like anything that caters

to a chosen few (usually the rich)

like golf

or some art galleries.

:)

I treat myself now and then

to a nice tube of Golden paint,

or a beautiful brush...

but I don't think it's NECESSARY

to have expensive materials

to make good art.

You don't need any fancy paper

(although a drawing pad is always nice!)

Start layering things slowly.
I always start the drawing
with a bit of a contour...

then start adding more color...
lighter at first,
and later you'll go over some areas
to give them more depth.

I used a black crayon & blue one at the end,
to highlight some areas.
As you can see,
I didn't draw the bottle
exactly as it is.
If I'd want the exact bottle,
i'd take a photo. :)

It's a rough drawing,
not meant to be exact
(especially not with wax crayons).
The shape isn't perfect,
the perspective isn't perfect,
the lines are exaggerated,
but it doesn't matter
because it's a DRAWING!

Just the act of sitting down

and making this drawing

made me happy.

I wonder sometimes

why it's so important for me

to inspire others to make art.

I almost feel like the Jehovah's Witness

who comes to my door

wanting to save me... ;)

I always respectfully tell them 

that religion has no place in my life.

And of course,

they are only trying to share their joy,

the same way I am trying to share mine

except they're a bit more pushy about it

by coming to my door

and I usually have to say no more than once. ;)

In a funny way,

I almost feel like a jehovah's witness

when i'm trying to convince you

of the importance of art.

It's my way of trying to save you ALL

from the confines of society.

giggle...

why should it matter to everyone?

I ask myself.

As long as it matters to me.

But it's like someone finding the fountain of youth.

Or the secret to happiness.

Or the path to freedom.

Having found it,  

you want to share it with the world

so that others can feel that same joy.

Art is meditation for me.

It is self discovery.

It is therapy.

It is peace of mind.

It is stress relief.

It is pride.

It is confidence.

It is courage.

It is grounding.

It is clarity.

It is expression.

It is freedom.

That's why I want to share it with you.

That's why I want everyone to connect

with their own creativity -

whether it be in cooking or gardening

or sewing or acting

or writing or singing.

Because it has brought me so much in my life

and who knows?

maybe it could bring you the same.

With everyone and everything

screaming for attention around us these days,

listening to your own voice

and finding your own space to breathe

is more important than ever.

xx