Recently I shared that I had lost my inspiration and that somehow I had lost the joy in my sketching. Truth be told, I actually hated my own recent art work. Every attempt seemed so childish, colored-in and flat. It wasn’t the lack of inspiration, but the lack of style.
I love pinning ideas and finding artists who inspire me on Pinterest and Instagram posts. There is an endless stream of amazing sketches and art, but the result of all this influence is not helpful to developing one’s own art.
You need to create your own art to find your own creative style.
My 17-year-old daughter’s advice to me was to try a new art medium or technique. This is very helpful, especially if you just play around without an end product in mind. I suppose recovering from lost art inspiration is a bit like horse riding after a fall; you need to get straight back up and ride again. But in the end, finding art inspiration and personal style is like the Nike slogan ~ “Just do it“.
During a quiet spell this past weekend and this week, I pulled out my sketchbook, downloaded the Doodlewashed September “Simple Pleasures” prompts and began again.
My first attempts were not too bad, but I found that, as I sketched daily, I rediscovered something in my style that I liked, and the joy returned. I loved the simple pleasure of sketching and painting. I loved the quiet, right-brain activity. And I enjoyed my art again.
While still finding my new artistic joy, I want to encourage you, moms, to also make the time to sit and sketch weekly. You need times of creativity. Join your children in the weekly Sketch Tuesday topic, or sit and create a nature journal page (prompts at the bottom of the post) each week. It is so restorative.
Charlotte Mason called it “Mother Culture“; spending time learning and growing. Spend regular time reading your own book list, creating art and journaling in nature; all part of your personal growth portfolio.
May I encourage you if you haven’t done any sketching for a while ~ Start again, Just Do It!
Blessings, Nadene
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Your pictures are so beautiful! I’m glad you shared them with us and I’m glad you found your joy in creating again.
Would you mind commenting on how to decide how much time is appropriate for mother culture? I have the proverbial never ending list of things to do so I haven’t made space for fun, “unproductive” tasks like writing or or being creative. How do you decide how much time to spend each day in things that are just for you and bring you joy?
Thanks!
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Thank you , @Billie. You are ask such an interesting question – how much time do we need each day to be creative? I suppose it depends on your family life and demands on your time, but if I can carve just 20 minutes of creative sketch time for myself, I feel so grateful and rewarded. This is not every day, and it is not always possible when life and stressful situations are more important, but we need to grow and be creative ourselves in order to give continually to others.
For some folk that “me time” may be physical, such as going for a brisk walk or run, doing a quick workout, or taking a nice hot bath with soft music playing. Others need to be alone, maybe to read a book or listen to a podcast. I love to garden, sew or sketch for about 20 minutes, mostly in the afternoons.
When the children are young, then it is best sketch or craft with them. Within a few weeks, the kids know what to do and can pretty much work without your help, giving you that time to do the activity along with them. Otherwise, simply do something creative and personally rewarding in the afternoons while the family are doing their own thing.
Blessings to you as you carve out small Mother Culture moments for yourself each week.
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This is wonderful. I love your paintings. I used to draw so much when I was a teen, but now, I feel so disatisfied with my technique. I am too fussy because it doesn’t look how I imagine it would. What is your advice? How do you enjoy your technique?
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@Sarah @ The Life of This Mother Thank you. When one tries new material or methods, or do some simple online tutorials, or simply keep doing art, one finds one’s style. Sometimes, when in a real “funk”, it is good to just play and not “do real art”. Not worrying about the end result gives one the freedom to enjoy art just for the love of creating. I have come to accept my style. I love drawing and painting from still lifes or photos. Most my sketches I draw in pencil and go over in ink before painting with watercolors, but I am very keen to try other approaches. Copying other’s style sometimes really helps to learn new techniques. Play and create and have fun to discover your new style.
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Beautiful pictures.
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@BecTasmanian Thank you!
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Nadine…
I LOVE these sketches. I love the idea of savouring the most simple, innocent, God-given, little things in life. Things that as busy moms, is often the only things we get to savour every now and then 😉 But what an appreciation we get for these things when we are down in the trenches with little a ones (My girls are 11, 3, 1 and pregnant again!) This pregnancy has been especially hard for me, as in this first trimester I have felt so sick and absolutely everything in my life seems like it either tastes like, looks like, or feels like – cardboard….
I am longing for these small enjoyments again, and as someone who also (used to) sketch, paint, sculpt…. (have not done much art in years), this was truly inspiring to me.. I love the “beauty in the mundane” aspect. Thank you for sharing. I hope my “lus” to be creative will also return one day soon. I will give it a try to also “just do it”…
All for God’s glory…
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@Bronwynn (((Big Hugs))) for you “down in the trenches” with your little ones and another on the way. Motherhood is filled with seasons and some seem so difficult, endless and mundane, but I trust there will soon be times of refreshing in the Lord. Wishing you renewed health, energy, and much grace in this season of your life. Blessings!
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Just lovely! Not only your art, but your posts are so inspiring. May your joy continue and grow daily.
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@Leanne Thank you for your kind words!
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