Daily Sketches, 6-9 August 2015

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Kerry says if I keep adding photos to The Daily Sketch page it will take forever to load, so I’m abandoning the page idea and blogging about my recent daily sketches in a regular post.

It was late on August 6th, and I’d spent considerable time earlier in the day loading all my pictures and writing about them–and learning about myself in the process. I’d made a quick computer sketch (thank you, Paint program), but I’m a stickler for doing the thing right; I needed to put implement to paper. I also needed some quick inspiration, so I grabbed Cat Bennett’s book, The Confident Creative. I admit I didn’t read what all the words said, just looked at the pictures and creatively built my own art activity: I drew a basic body outline and then personalized it.

I got the idea for this sketch from Cat Bennett's book The Confident Creative., chapter 20 "Being True to You." You'll notice there are words--that's how I am true to myself, by writing.

I got the idea for this sketch from The Confident Creative,
chapter 20, “Being True to You.” You’ll notice there are words–that’s how I am true to myself, by writing in the midst of drawing.
6 August 2015

I also finished up a picture (by adding words) I started on 3 Aug, so it’s dated for both.

I associate myself with this hue of green. There's a small stack of pictures on this paper (I think it's Ingres) and most of them are dominated by this color.

I associate myself with this hue of green. I have a small stack of pictures made on this paper (I think it’s Ingres) and most of them are dominated by this color.
6 August 2015

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The Daily Sketch (revised from August 2015)

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I’ve created this page to house all my Daily Sketches. New sketches will appear at the top–I’ll keep inserting them ahead of the previous day’s.

I made a couple of brief attempts at sketching and noticed that even in those spurts I felt meditative. I don't want to stop drawing/painting/collaging/arting. But I also want to go back to writing. The true art in this ugly sketch is The Words. 5 August 2015

I made a couple of brief attempts at sketching and noticed that even in those spurts I felt meditative. I don’t want to stop drawing/painting/collaging/arting. But I also want to go back to writing. The true art in this ugly sketch is The Words. 5 August 2015

This is also painted on Rising Stonehenge--now I re-have the knack of it. It's inspired by a Matisse painting. While I drew this I felt that all the daily sketches had paid off--I was in the drawing zone. 4 August 2015.

This is also painted on Rising Stonehenge–now I re-have the knack of it. It’s inspired by a Matisse painting. While I drew this I felt that all the daily sketches had paid off–I was in the drawing zone. 4 August 2015.

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Remember / Be Different

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sabbath

I glanced over this article today.

https://www.lds.org/church/news/five-ways-to-celebrate-the-sabbath-as-a-family?lang=eng&cid=social_20150726_49764186&adbid=10153399164441550&adbpl=fb&adbpr=18523396549

Since I don’t have children or nearby relatives, suggestions for things people can do together as a family grab my attention less than other things might. But after walking away, I found myself thinking about things I liked about it–simple things to notice that will help us keep the Sabbath day holy.

Jeffrey Hill says, the Sabbath should look different, sound different, feel different, and even taste different. He neglected to mention “smell different” which my Sabbath always does when I go to church–perfumes abound. But laying that aside, I like the idea of the Sabbath being different in these simple, easy to remember ways.

I might also add, the Sabbath should think different, if you get my meaning. It can have a different attitude. Though I carry on many of my humanitarian works on Sundays, there are little rules I’ve set for myself. For example, I don’t operate machinery–spinning wheel, sewing machine, iron. I don’t go into mass production–laying out a lot of fabric or tracing and cutting out patterns. If I use scissors, I use them to trim threads, not cut out bear shapes.

Long ago I learned a song in Primary, “Saturday is a special day, it’s the day we get ready for Sunday.” That’s been a lifelong lesson for me.

It should watch different, listen different. It should do different. Ideas about writing books–note them, but don’t start working on your book. The Sabbath shouldn’t further your career. It shouldn’t be a day to carry out tasks for convenience sake, i.e. business in the church hallways. Clean up the dance room. Watch that Jerome Robbins video I’ve been wanting to rewatch.

This little suggestions can lead to greater Sabbath observance. Be mindful, be present, listen within; be guided by the Spirit. That’s how to make the Sabbath day different.

And when the day draws to a close, we can start working on this:

Alice walker

Breath of Fresh Air

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Saw this meme on Facebook today and wanted to remember it. It was posted by a fellow named Marc David, founder of The Institute for the Psychology of Eating in Boulder, CO.

Good advice.

Good advice.

My first inclination was to think, “Yeah, yeah. Another way to look at exercise.” But the more I’ve thought about it, the more I like it.

I like exercise, I really do, but something’s come along and contorted it in my mind. It’s become A DUTY; a personal duty, and therefore, neglectable in the face of all the other less-optional, outer-DUTIES I’ve signed up for.

Today I shall begin anew (again), enjoying life in this body that was becoming increasingly hard to live with. I’ve been reflecting lately that Heavenly Father knew our bodies would age and that for some, if not all, of us they would begin to seem repulsive. Another blessing–we learn to embrace the many, many lessons associated with aging.

I’m not sure I can be in love with my body–rather, not sure that’s my goal–but I can certainly seek more peace and happiness in and with it.

Maybe my stern-faced other reminder is on its last legs.

Let's try to be a little more encouraging, shall we?

Let’s try to be a little more encouraging, shall we?