Engrossed

I tend to get totally immersed in whatever my passion is at the moment.

When I am engrossed in something, the world around me fades away.  I can spend hours engaged and may get a little prickly if I am interrupted. Maybe it's an introvert thing. 

As a child it was books.  In fourth grade I even won a prize, probably a book, for reading the most in a school year.  The books were most likely Nancy Drew mysteries.  

My favorite time of year was summer.  I loved being outside, sitting under a tree, eating a peach and reading. Sometimes I would be so absorbed that my mother would have to call several times before even I heard her. 

Over the years I've had many interests.  From Macramé to terrariums, (bottle gardens). 

Knitting and crochet were my most steady passions throughout my adult life.  

Although he didn't knit or crochet my husband was my knitting buddy.  He'd come with me to the stores to help me pick out yarn.  He'd accompany me to all of the yarn festivals and was my co-host on my knitting podcast.  After he passed away, I lost interest in knitting and crochet.

These days I've moved on to drawing and watercolor painting.  I draw and paint every day. 

Doing the A-to-Z challenge has also brought me back to writing.  Out of all of the interests I've had, writing is where I feel most at ease.   As a painfully shy person, I find I can communicate more honestly, and with fewer inhibitions, when I write.  It engages my brain in a way nothing else quite does. 

I'll happily make an exception to my "no interruptions" rule to read your comments, though. 

 

 Drawing 

As children, my sister and I shared a bedroom and slept in bunk beds. I had the top bunk. The beds were next to a window, and from where I lay, I could see our backyard, enclosed by a split-rail fence.

My intention today was to write about a recollection of a snowy morning and how I was inspired to draw a beautiful scene of three holly trees with their red berries and the fence capped with fresh snow. 

I remember sitting up in bed with paper and pencil, trying to capture it.

Today’s topic was going to be “drawing,” 

But something else happened.

As I began writing, my mind wandered, as it often does, down other paths. That same room—the one I first remembered as cozy and safe—began to bring back other memories. Not-so-pleasant ones. And I felt a small lurch in the pit of my stomach.

To avoid misleading the reader, I should explain.

My parents had a rocky marriage, to say the least. Many of their arguments took place in the middle of the night. For two little girls—eight and seven years old—it was frightening.

Perhaps that is why the memory of that simple snowy scene I drew so long ago holds more meaning than I ever realized-until today, when I began writing about it.  Something I was holding onto without knowing why.   

Maybe my initial memory was a quiet coping mechanism.  A way to focus on something calm and beautiful while at times the world around me felt unsafe.

Perhaps the drawing is a symbol of creating something worth saving—something my parents would proudly display on the refrigerator for years.

Not just a child’s drawing, but a small moment of peace, preserved.

 Creativity

As a newbie drawing and watercolor artist, I agree that a person can learn the skills to paint and draw and improve with practice.

There are many artists-creators on social media who give beginner drawing and painting classes online. 

I follow quite a number of them, have benefitted from their tutorials  and they are terrific.

However, and this might be a bit of a hot take,  I sometimes wonder if their philosophy of "practice makes perfect" is a bit misleading. 

Practice has helped me a great deal. Painting and drawing every day has sharpened my sense of observation. Glancing at an apple versus truly studying an apple makes a difference in how I may portray it on paper or canvas.

But, I do feel that some people have an innate talent and a natural sense of creativity. That is a gift and not something that can be taught. 

I often struggle to come up with original ideas.  I think the great amount of tutorial lessons online may be inhibiting my own individuality.  We all seem to be painting the same Christmas wreaths or Easter bunny greeting cards.

Still, I enjoy the process, and I hope with lots of practice, 🤞I will develop my own creative voice over time.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.