Like many amateur artists, I occasionally suffer from imposter syndrome or become frustrated when an artwork is not going in the direction I want it to travel. When I’m in this lockdown frame of mind I need to tell myself to trust and enjoy the process. As the Black writer, Alice Walker once said: “We should learn to accept that change is truly the only thing that’s going on always, and learn to ride with it and enjoy it”.
This is the first of two calm landscapes in blue. Both serve as a symbol of hope, love, strength and friendship. Landscapes invite a natural connection which enables people to engage, regroup and relax.
You might have seen or heard about dead trees in the countryside being given a ‘blue’ lease on life with a message for a great cause. It originated in Western Australia, when a family painted a dead tree blue in the middle of their farm in commemoration of their son who committed suicide. After posting a photo of the tree on Facebook, it soon went viral which prompted the Blue Tree Project to help raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.
Navigating self care is hard and it is not being selfish. During challenging times, it may seem as though we don’t have enough time to practice self-care and it can slide down our priorities list. But even five minutes of focusing on our breath or stretching can help us, or even going for a walk, even for a short time. For me today, it’s walking in the rain and remembering to smile even if I don’t feel like it. These small moments of self-care build up to produce a more resilient version of ourselves over time and they help to strengthen our coping mechanisms.
Small changes can help you find a sense of balance as we move through different phases of the pandemic. Remember that action comes before motivation. So find time occasionally to press the pause button and switch off your mobile. Above all be kind to yourself!
35 x 46 cm