Recently I was going through (again) my box of personal paper and notes, letters and collected bits from over the years. I came across a sketchbook from about ten years ago (ten years! that is nuts), filled with my drawings of that year. I remember it well, I had bought a copy of Danny Gregory’s The Creative License, and inspired by it I drew everything in front of me. I don’t have the book anymore, but I think it had a lot to do not only with drawing but with really seeing your life, taking the time to follow the curve and bumps of your orange peel. I wrote little notes beside the drawings, and looking back on this is a completely different experience than a photo album – like a drawn journal. I made another entire book that year on a trip to Mexico with my mom.
I realized looking back at these books how much they captured a moment in my life, and how much I would love to keep up a drawing practice. I want to draw something everyday, I don’t care what it is, if it’s something in front of me, or some imagined gap toothed lady. And I know too that I’ll forget sometimes (so this is really called Drawing A Day-ish), but hopefully the habit will become a good one. Habits are good.
The other day in the car my daughter asked, because she is six, ‘how are you such a good draw-er?’ And I told her…because I always loved it, and I did it over and over, and no one ever told me I wasn’t good at it (and that even if they did I probably wouldn’t have listened, because I’m stubborn like that), and I practiced, and I love being able to put on paper what I think in my head, and you just keep getting better and learning and figuring out what comes out of your pen. And that now I wouldn’t care if people didn’t like it, because I like it, and that’s what matters. Which is exactly what I want to teach her, about everything.
Is there something you love to do, that maybe you’ve forgotten about, but can’t wait to get back to? Let’s do it together. Hopefully I will occasionally post some of my drawings from this project here – can’t wait.
Boolah Baguette 