Being true

I've been in a bit of a dry spell recently, in terms of creative expression. This came up in conversation with Jonny the other evening and talking it through with him gave me some real clarity. I told him how I felt embarrassed of my original drawings for Sophie Sailboat, the ones that I made into cards, how I felt like they weren't good enough and I wouldn't want to push them out there any more. It was interesting processing why I've felt this. We realised together that when I did those original drawings, I was just myself making art for fun and taking my stuff seriously for the first time. This then became the launch of having my own little business and doing a few card sales and things. I think when I had my own business, I began to put pressure on myself- like "I'm an artist, therefore what I create should be 'good'." I began to limit my expression which ultimately meant a dry spell creatively.

Talking things through was sooo good, because it reminded me of what art really means to me and why I love to draw. For me, it has to be a way of expressing how I feel and making that into a visual picture to share with the world. It has to be authentic because that is what makes it feel magical. This goes for any creative expression, music, art, writing and so on, I think you can tell immediately if something is a true expression as it moves you in a way that you can't really explain- it just feels so good. It is the human heart being true to the beauty that it really is.

Anyway, I decided to just go and sit and see what came out of me rather than prescribe to myself what 'should' come out, and to be honest it was really hard at first, but once my idea was down on paper it was great fun. I love how it expresses so much of how I have been feeling recently. My hand represents openness and vulnerability of heart and the bird represents the inspiration or dream that I want to share. I like that it's a blackbird because I think sometimes it can be very scary to let our dreams out, and I wanted to keep the bird black for this reason. Then the song that is expressed by what feels like such a humble creature blossoms and branches out into the world and impacts far more than we could ever have guessed.