New paintings and regular art updates.
Five years ago I sketched out a design for a cat sculpture and my friend Charis Jones who is a brilliant blacksmith made this wonderful creation for me, by interpreting my doodle. She called it Eshers cat and it has been sitting in our garden looking smart for the last five years. It’s lovely and makes me smile every time I look at it. Now it’s a little rusty from the weather. I’m thinking of using rust resisting paint (if that’s a thing) to give it a new coat… Literally! I just love it x
I have got my car back! Finally after a week of waiting for it I can breathe a sigh of relief. But among all of the hassle I realise how anti public transport I am. I think it’s because I’ve used buses and taxis in the past, and I don’t know the routes or timings for the buses, and often when I’ve ordered a taxi it hasn’t turned up. One time I had to walk home from hospital because there were non available. Also since the pandemic I try to avoid groups of people, so buses worry me.
Having a car is a freedom and a curse. I walk less and don’t cycle anymore because I have one. I don’t know what to do if we have to get rid of it. The car is very old and it’s like an old pair of shoes, if it needs repairing I have to pay out because I can’t afford to replace it with another (second hand) one. But at least by keeping it we are not wasting new resources.
I started writing and drawing a gratitudes book about 140 days ago and I intend to continue in 2023. I think it helped me through some very bad and sad times, through grief and illness. Through confusion and misunderstanding. If you can just think of a few (three) small things each day, you can take something good away with the bad stuff. I even got my hubby doing it. I had to sketch images to go with the writing and that helps to clarify what I’m grateful for. I shall continue and that’s not a resolution.
…. In the bad
Gratitude is something I’m trying to find every day. Three little things that I can write even if it’s been a bad day? Things like being stuck in traffic but someone let me out at a junction. I went to an art meeting today and people appreciated what I was saying, and I’ve trained my cat to jump up on my knee when I whistle him so he can have a love. That’s the little light in the dark tunnel. A spark that makes me feel a bit better. I’ll take that. X
Over ninety days ago I started writing (and drawing) three gratitudes a day. I didn’t always remember until the next day. But I’m glad and grateful that I’m doing it. I still feel sad and upset about things, but maybe not as much. By writing gratitudes I’m forcing my mind into a different path. There are so many small things I can think of, like traffic signals staying in green, to the cat coming over to sit on my lap. Grateful for small helps and support from my hubby. It makes the world feel less worrying. It helps.
It’s been hard to think of things to be grateful about over the last few days. I’m trying to record three things a day to try and have a positive effect on my brain. I guess it has helped a bit, but I’m looking for the tiniest bit of positivity at the moment. One thing I look for is hearts. It could be a bit of my random drawing looks like a heart, or a cloud shaped like one. Maybe even a petal or leaf on the ground. Small things…..
I’m trying to be more positive and to retrain my brain at the moment. The idea is that every evening for at least twenty eight days you try and write three gratitudes to get on a more positive train if thought. They shouldn’t be massive things that are overwhelming, but small things, little things you recognise as something to cherish. I’m on day eight and I think it’s helping a bit. I’m trying to encourage my hubby to do it too. Of course I have included sketches, it makes things more real.
Mallaband-Brown