Sketch at Exhibition Opening

Click on image for a larger view

It seems like a dumb question, but this little doosey has been on repeat in the TV scheduling in my brain. For years. And years.

Well, it seems the time has come to find out one way or the other. I’m am (in my logical brain) certain I will be up to it. It’s just that feeling of fear of the unknown that has deterred me. Plus the idea that life is long and there is plenty of time. Plus there are soooo many other fabulous things to do! But no, the time has come.

What is my life’s purpose you ask? Well at this point I’m tempted to be a little embarrassed; it seems like a small thing, but it is to draw and paint figurative narrative works (it feels huge to me). What on earth does that mean? It means I’m going to be creating paintings, sketches and drawings of people; people doing things, together, separately, here and there, everyday people doing everyday things, paintings that tell a little story, or get you asking a little question, in your mind.

How do I know it’s my life’s purpose? Well, of course, I haven’t always. I do remember vividly sitting in church as a little girl listening to the annual ‘Calling’ sermon. You may have heard it at some point too. It goes a little like this. “God may call you to care for people and you will be called to be a nurse or a doctor. God may call you to be a teacher. Or God may call you to spread His Word and you will travel to the wilds of Africa…” I used to sit there praying “Please don’t call me God. Please don’t call me God.”

But I digress. I know it’s my life purpose because the ideas keep coming back to me. (Actually they are on my brain’s repeat TV scheduling too). I’d do a couple of sketches, maybe a painting or two, but then I’d let that fear I had back in the church pew stop me. And there are so many other ‘shiny’ art adventures to be had! But it just kept coming up, coming to mind, coming and coming. I couldn’t ignore it any longer!

Phew! I don’t have to be a missionary in Africa! Ah, but I do have to draw people and things and places… I can do it! How? With focus. Don’t tempt me you shiny art adventures! I have my own adventure going on!

Hey, would you like to come on my adventure too? How about I share my insights into my journey, my process, my attempt to focus, as well as my art techniques, tips and tricks?

Sounds like fun to me!

I did this sketch at a recent exhibition opening here in Coffs Harbour.  It’s in a sketchbook I made myself.  It has lots of different types and sized papers in it.  I love an eclectic book!  This paper I actually ‘inherited’ years ago.  My father-in-law was an artist and when he died I got a lovely stack of water colour papers.  This one had been used in some way; it has tape marks from being stretched and the white and black blotches were his.  It’s very old now and has some yellowing and marks too.  I love it!  I think it just adds something extra to my image and my book.  (Artline, Pentel brush pen, watercolour.)