I signed up for Sketchbook Revival, knowing full well I was going to miss some of the sessions. I almost passed, but I am so glad I clicked that button. I am in the process of catching up now. It is a two week event, and there are two sessions each day.

Those of you who are in the 30-Day Creative Gathering would love this as a continuation of your daily creative practice. I’ve been introduced to so many terrific artists and found a couple that I had lost touch with.

The session with crayons was so meditative. They all have been. Listening to the instructor, using the tools, finding myself in the moment. Not at all concerned with an outcome.

Of course, I found myself drawing flowers. I had just finished a search on tulips, and their simple shapes were fresh in my mind. I layered color after color. Yellow, peach, red, coral. Turquoise, bright blue, sage, teal, asparagus. More yellow.

When I had finished, I wiped of the crayon dust, and was surprised to find it left a nice sheen on the leaf. I took the tissue and rubbed the entire drawing. Laughing at myself, but this took me right back to childhood, and grade school.

I may have the sessions out of order. I did not realize in the beginning that there were two each day. In this next session, we explored automatic drawing. Using different pens, exploring the marks. Automatism refers to creating art without conscious thought, accessing material from the unconscious mind as part of the creative process

This session passed so quickly, and yet seemd to last a long time. I think I missed some of what was being said, I was so into making marks on the paper. Haha.

Karen Abend, the event organizer, led a session on Intentional doodling. We started with observing nature. Taking notice of the shapes, and then using that to create more abstract shapes and patterns. You have seen this paddle plant before. I don’t think I will ever tire of the round leaf shapes.

Along with the sessions, each artist offers freebies to continue practicing their method. Some are worksheets, others free video tutorials, and even some short classes. SO MUCH learning. Mindfulness and intention are keys. The intention to focus on the moment. On the process.

Those reminders are always welcome. It is so easy to forget that key creativity. For me at least. Haha. I will continue with these lessons. JOY filled!

I am not sure how long the sessions will be available. Some of the freebies are still available, it looks like until the end of May. Take a look! Treat yourself! Enjoy!

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.
Henry David Thoreau

Artists are just children who refuse
to put down their crayons.
Al Hirschfeld

It would be possible to describe everything scientifically,
but it would make no sense;
it would be without meaning,
as if you described a Beethoven symphony
as a variation of wave pressure.
Albert Einstein