Hello wonderful folks who are striving to live daringly!! I hope you are doing as well as you can be with all of the … things … going on in this crazy world.
Challenges!
To help me process and maintain my mental health, I’m working on a couple of art challenges right now. One is a drawing-a-day that I started back in October (Inktober!) and have managed to keep going. The other is a Bad Poetry challenge for the month of February hosted by Katie Kae Chelena. I’ve dabbled in poetry for a long time, and I’ve got through different haiku phases.
Sharing is caring!
I’ve been sharing my prompt-based drawing-a-day creations on my Instagram page. Part of me struggles with if I should even be sharing them there, since it is a business connection for me. And there’s no real offering in those drawings. Except, I want to share my process with “my people.” To let those who follow me know that all art is valuable even if it isn’t “good;” always the process and sometimes the outcome. It’s practice. I used to draw worse. And I still make some terrible drawings. And I also make ones I like. Ones that are simple, yet still convey something. Through my business, that’s something I want to share with folks who might want to bring home other pieces of my art that connect with them. And, when I’m ready to make the offering, I hope folks will feel comfortable with me as a creation guide!!
Too much information, I know, but something I’ve been wanting to share out here. Hey, it’s my blog. It’s a practice too!
I also struggled with if I wanted to share my poetry during this challenge. That feels much more vulnerable to me than sharing my little sketches. Much more scary. But I asked if I should share them on my Facebook page. I didn’t get a lot of feedback. But the response I did get stoked the spark of a flame just enough to give me the courage to share.
So for the next few weeks, I’ll share both my drawing-a-day and my poem-of-the-day via blog. Probably future posts won’t be so texty. (I heard that sigh of relief out there!!! 😂) For a few days, I’ll double up with posting until I catch up.
A little help from her friends
Along the way, I’d love your feedback. What stands out about a drawing? A poem? Did you connect with any portion of either? Maybe you didn’t like something: share that! Maybe my work inspired you to create a little poem or drawing. Would you share it with me? Thank you in advance for whatever you feel comfortable sharing.
February 1st Creations
The poem partially links to a recent counseling session. The prompt was: secrets or saying the unsaid. It reads:
I’ve got a secret
One I’m ready to tell
I am ready
I AM READY
I’ve felt the cage and shackles
Pinching
Constricting
Restraining
Tooo long have I been bound
I am ready
I AM FUCKING READY
I’m excited to
Expand
Integrate
Connect
I am ready
I AM READY
I’ll shout it from the rooftops
And sing in the alleys
I AM READY
to be fully me