Sketchbook Prompt #13 - Looking under a rock (or becoming curious)

Sketchbook Prompt #13 - Looking under a rock (or becoming curious)

Our daily lives affect our art making lives. Paying attention to the things that you are drawn to and giving energy towards allows a closer look at what makes you curious. Curiosity allows for creative living. For me this is essential in creating an authentic environment to thrive.

Give yourself time to get lost in your inner thoughts. This can be tough, because we often have children, text messages, friends, partners that are with us, and that time with others is great too. But I suggest taking a morning, afternoon, and giving yourself an hour or two to just be with you. No one else, and that includes your phone. Once you set that time aside, go somewhere you love. This could be as close as your study with a pile of books, to your garden center, art supply store, natural history museum, a walk to get coffee. And while you are out I want you to consider these ideas.

Ideas to consider:

While you are on your journey I want to you to begin asking yourself questions about your surroundings. What does the temperature feel like, do you like it? What colors are drawing your attention, is the greens of the trees, are they always that green? What season are you in, do you like that season. I want you to look under rocks (metaphorically or not) behind closed doors, I want you take the time to see what you are drawn to and not drawn to. Sometimes knowing what you don’t like can be as helpful as what you do like. I sometimes fall under the category of liking too many things, I see a lot of positives in the world, and sometimes I get muddled in my knowing what I truly like. Once you really get going on your journey keep following the clues. Take the next step, unlock the next stage until it becomes fluid. This can also be a great time to record some of your findings. It can be in pictures or words.

As time continues your voice will get stronger and that should feel powerful to you. This is your internal voice and it will reveal many a wonder to you. Strengthening our internal voice is important, it shows you what you are pulled towards, what is meaningful to you.

Here is a personal example:

I love patterns, mixing patterns, looking and admiring patterns that might seem opposing. I often find that I can find a relationship to them. I remember seeing Japanese fashion from the 1980’s where a number of different patterns would be worn at one time. I was brought up to believe that fashion was to be color cordinated, and what I was attracted to wasn’t encouraged. A lot of this was just my inner dialogue, not something I discussed but noticed as my younger self. I kept questioning these ideas and exploring the idea of patterns, which I still do. Full on embracing opposing patterns and colors which I find exciting and evocative allowed me to feel more authentically me. To encourage this in myself now, I often look at pattern books, wallpaper, textiles, thrift store racks. This help keeps me in touch with that curiosity. So for me, I might sit with a stack of books at the library or visit a thrift store and take pictures of shirts next to each other. This doesn’t have to cost you anything. This can be free.

What next:

After you take time to hear your voice, see what you are drawn to don’t waste to much time in getting this information down in your sketchbook. You will be surprised how easy it is to forget all that awesomeness you just discovered. That is why sketchbooks are so great at catching all those insights, they are like a giant treasure trove. I hope you find some beautiful thoughts out there.