How I’m Continuing To Create In An Unsettled Time

Creating in an unsettled time of life is hard.

I’ve had to embrace where I am right now in my life, in between homes due to a relationship break up, and accept that my art practice may be inconsistent, sporadic and lacking direction. As I wrote those last few words I realised it’s reflecting my life as well as my art, although, as time goes by I am slowly getting clearer about what I want and where I want to head next in my life.

In the meantime, I’m taking my little homemade sketchbooks on my walks while I explore the landscape around where I have temporarily landed. Quick captures of moments of beauty. Snapshots of what delights me. All of it grounds me in the aftermath of upheaval.

Using materials that are easy to work with and clean up, I have a bit of space on a table and I’m conscious of using a scale that doesn’t take up much room, and ensuring the materials are quick drying. I did get into a groove of painting with my oils again only to pack them up as I had to move around ‘homes’ for a month.

It felt so good to be working with colour after my foray into monochromatic work (which I still really love to do), and my plan is to retrieve the oils from my storage unit once again, and work with them despite the current limitations.

I also discovered another way to continue working on my art through Lynxhead in Dunbar. Recommended by one of my artist friends last year, I was finally able to book onto a drypoint etching workshop, taught by the lovely Ruth back in April, and then found out I would have six months’ free membership from having attended the workshop. Meaning I could book sessions to use the facilities!

While drypoint etching is still very new to me, it’s been really fun to get into something I know nothing about and have a go. It has helped me to be mindful and focused as nothing is automatic yet. I can’t think of anything except what I’m doing. And that’s refreshing.

Using recent sketches from my wee sketchbooks – those snapshots from my walks – I am playing with creating prints that speak to me. I’m immersing myself in experimenting with no end in mind. Just seeing where it goes, what works, what doesn’t, and then figuring out where I might want to go next.

Perhaps this is what I am doing in my own life, too?

In the workshop, Ruth supplied me with three different ‘plates’ to experiment with: cardboard, perspex, and zinc. I had access to all the tools and used my sketches as inspiration. Of course I forgot to do the mirror image for one of them, but it didn’t matter, I still liked it.

I was surprised to find out you can use cardboard to etch into. It needs a gloss medium over the top when you’re done and then it’s a plate for inking up and printing with. Incredible! So I’ve been upcycling the cardboard from boxes of tea and cereal bars.

I’ve gone back for two sessions already and both times I used the ultramarine ink instead of black and I loved the colour and the feeling it evoked within me. It reminded me of Delfts Blauw (Delft Blue, Dutch ceramics), and gave me a feeling of home. If you didn’t know, I was born and brought up in The Netherlands, not far from Delft.

Over the month I had to move around (while I was still working full time) I used my little sketchbooks to capture the landscape around wherever I was staying. From Abbey St Bathans to the Trossachs to Pease Bay, I chose a variety of landscapes that spoke to my heart, and was lucky enough to find accommodation in those places. I also chose to embrace the spirit of adventure, and even though I felt exhausted, it was uplifting to consider my situation in that way. I could’ve easily slipped into a “poor me” mindset (and before I consciously chose to think differently I was heading that way) but I really didn’t want to go there.

Now that I am a bit more settled for the time being, I’ll continue taking my little sketchbooks on my walks, play with the printing press and progress with my oils…and see what I discover in the process.

Only by doing and experimenting will I find out.

How do you continue to create in an unsettled time? What helps you to keep going? I’d love to hear.