Hi there friends. Happy May to you! It’s been hot and windy here, after a couple weeks of rain, which is typical of May in the Ukiah Valley, but I’m still getting used to how erratic it can be here. My husband and I are putting lots of time into growing our garden, just as my body is growing this little being in my belly. I’m easily worn out, and starting to feel ALLLLL the hormones, but I’m also grateful, filled with wonder at this process, and enjoying the sunshine and fresh air of Spring.
Last weekend I got to try something new: chalk pastel drawings on pavement! I’d never tried it and… it’s harder than it looks! I signed up to be an artist for a fundraising event, and I was assigned to make a piece for the local bookstore in town (lucky me!). Other artists were out there using paintbrushes and rags- I mean, I didn’t know you were supposed to paint with chalk pastels? I just rubbed them into the sidewalk and hoped for the best. I noticed, that although it turned out great (I was very happy with it), the whole water technique helps the chalk adhere to the pavement so it doesn’t blow away or fade so quickly. I’ll have to try that next time. Toward the end I tried “painting” with the black pastel and got some nice clean lines, so that was a huge victory. Here’s how it turned out:
A couple days later, husband-man and I wanted to get out of town for the afternoon. We drove to a larger adjacent city and made our usual rounds to the second-hand bookstore, and then to the Barnes and Nobles. We passed by the large window display of books as always, to enter the store, but one of them caught my eye.
I was amazed! This was the first time I’d seen in displayed in a book store outside of my own little town, and I didn’t even ask them to put it in the window. I felt strangely proud that day. :)
As I work on this next book idea, I admit, I have lots of ups and downs in motivation. I like to remember seeing SOMETIMES IT’S BRIGHT in the window, because it helps to remember all the hard work that went into that little book and it feels totally worth it. While reading an article recently about Martha Graham, I came across a quote that landed hard.
“There is no creative satisfaction at any time,” she cried out passionately. “There is only a queer dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.” Martha Graham
No matter what, the creative process will always fill me up and tear me down. Somedays it’ll be a mountain, and other days a steep slide- both thrilling and intimidating, and the effort will wax and wane. I do love it though. It’s in my makeup and I honestly can’t help myself.
I’m in a revision stage for this new picture book. Once I have some artwork to pitch my agent, I’ll share some of the sketches and color studies! Until then,
-Annie