Reflection Over Renewal

Ruddy Turnstones - Pyrography & Acrylic Paint

Reflection Over Renewal

New Year is a time of reflection for me - a personal and introspective evaluation. I don't do grandiose resolutions and elaborate plans for the whole year ahead, partly because I can't bear the setup for failure. I focus on realigning myself with my art journey again after the festive whirlwind of craft events that fill November and December. While they are exciting and fulfilling as a result I tend to disconnect from creating having spent so much time away from my studio in the latter months of the year.

While they are exciting and fulfilling as a result I tend to disconnect from creating having spent so much time away from my studio in the latter months of the year.

I recognise the importance of realighnment by pulling inspiration into my daily routine once again by going right back to basics with my art and stepping back in to nature reminding my of the fundermental elements that drew me to create in the first place.

Turnstone Birds On St. Ives harbourside, Cornwall

Realigning with my art involves a conscious decision to return to the foundational elements that first ignited my passion by engaging in sketch work. By shifting my focus back to the simplicity and purity of pencil and paper, I am able to remove the pressure that often accompanies the finished version. This approach allows me to reconnect with the very essence of creativity.

Decluttering With A Pencil

The act of sketching serves as a therapeutic release, providing me with a blank canvas in my brain where I can freely explore my thoughts and emotions. Each stroke of the pencil almost subconscious, I feel the clutter clearing away to let in imagination opening up new pathways for inspiration.

Now I am able to map out a thought process for the next piece of art I wish to bring to life and so it goes on. Each sketch becomes a stepping stone, guiding me toward new ideas I am eager to bring to life allowing myself the freedom to make mistakes, to play with form and structure.

Cornish Cleanse

To allow this process of artistic cleansing to happen I try to have a little trip to St. Ives in Cornwall at the start of each year serving as perspective not just a destination. This place has a magical raw beauty which is particularly striking during the winter months, when the crowds have thinned, and the landscape revealed in its true glory of the rugged coastline, with its serene beaches, and crashing waves, creates a powerful connection to nature that is hard to avoid. All the while I am taking time to walk, observe and sketch.

Ruddy Turnstones

If you've been to St Ives during the winter months, you might have noticed some delightful little creatures along the harbour side that hold a special place in my heart: the Ruddy Turnstones. No, I'm not fed up with them, that is their name. These birds migrate annually to the southern tip of the country for the colder season seeking refuge from harsher climates having travelled thousands of miles from the Arctic showcasing their hardiness. I find them captivating, which is why I frequently create artwork to highlight them. They gather in small groups along the harbour pavement, often running and chirping, almost shouting, beside you in hopes of something edible. Their cheeky demeanor and charm are irresistible as are the brown and white patterns of their feathers, combined with their quirky orange legs, continually inspiring me.