#5: the artist’s way, solitude and completing inktober
October felt slow and forbearing, devoid of the rush I usually feel at this time of year. I love autumn so much that every year when it comes around I feel anxious of it ending too quickly. This particular month, however, I felt that I could savour it.
I completed The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron this month and felt unexpectedly sentimental when it ended. The course gave me a lot of weekly structure and insight which at first felt like was coming to an end. I have carried on writing my morning pages ever since and don’t have any intention of stopping. They have brought remarkable clarity in my life and in turn led to me making decisions that I wouldn’t have anticipated. They have allowed me to establish what my priorities really are and look past my own clouded judgment. I really couldn’t recommend the practice enough.
This month, I had the opportunity to spend time both with my family and also enjoy a few days in complete solitude. While I'm quite accustomed to alone time in my daily life, having uninterrupted evenings and nights to myself for around four consecutive days was something I hadn’t done in years. It brought heightened emotional intensity, both positive and negative. Knowing that I didn’t have any immediate social obligations meant that I could completely surrender myself to all of my emotions. I watched comfort films, ate comfort food (~girl dinner~) and leisurely went about my daily routine. It was a cathartic experience and not something I would want to do often. When I was eventually reunited with my partner, it rekindled a new sense of gratitude for having him to share these experiences with. It made me realise that the balance of solitude and companionship is so important.
I also completed my first drawing challenge this month, using @clarasuperduper’s list of prompts as inspiration. There was a prompt every couple of days in October totalling fourteen. I completed ten of these which I’m pretty happy with considering that it was my first attempt at a drawing challenge.
My experience of the challenge was as exasperating as it was inspiring. At times I felt blocked and found myself falling down the Pinterest rabbit hole. One key takeaway I got from the challenge was the importance of creating art from my own experiences, personal photos and the things that truly spark my interest. Doing so allows for more authenticity in the piece and also fuels my journey towards a distinctive artistic voice. To make the most of Pinterest as a creative tool, I learnt to approach it with intention. Instead of aimlessly scrolling for hours, I found it more productive to go in with a clear idea, seeking inspiration for composition and colour palettes that align with my vision.
The best advice I’ve encountered recently was the idea that your art style should be a blend of what you love, the little details that intrigue you, and the elements that make up your unique personality. This can branch out to pop culture, architecture, design, nature etc. In this way, naturally the art you create will speak to you and feel as though it represents you. I’ve learnt to start really paying attention to my surroundings, what sparks an interest in me or what I find satisfying. Participating in Inktober enhanced my drawing consistency, now I’m looking forward to moving on to explore themes without having the constraint of a specific prompt.
