Questioning What We Do. Or Why Am I Painting

Every now and again we need to question what we are doing. And for me that's now sketching and drawing.

Falling Into Things

Sometimes something comes into our life, as a gift, a hobby, a once in a while thing, an hour a week, an experiment, a relationship.

Then it grows...

We find another class, a friend with a shared interest, an intersection with another hobby, a little bit more time, an event to take part in, a small group to organise.

Then before we realise what's happening it's become a fixture in our lives, a major part or taking it over.

This isn't a bad thing, or a good thing. Just a Thing. And sometimes they need looking at.

Sometimes we notice when we squeeze out other things, when it's all we doing, a comment by someone or an intervention by a friend or family.

And So to Painting and Sketching

And so I found myself painting at a wedding (as a socially acceptable way of not talking to people), going to an art shop in a small town, and thinking about organising a separate meetup group.

A year ago I was first time I did a painting outside of school. Repainting rooms doesn't count.

I'm doing lots of art-related things. Drawing in cafes, painting in parks, brining people together to sketch, trying out new types, sketching and spending some time doing things.

So far its not pushing out other activities...

But I have to ask

What is it for? Why am I doing it?

While I have a need to create, that can be nearly anything and my main creative outlet is still the Random Generators of Chaos Gen.

When painting it's nice to concentrate and its a good way of spending time with people. But I'm not feeling particularly proud of what I create, or excited by what I've been doing...

What Is Painting and Sketching For

So I'm making my list of what's its for...Bringing together thoughts I have had lying around in my head.

• For a creative outlet
• Something to do in a cafe that doensn't involve a screen
• A socially-acceptable way to be creative in a social setting, and not have to talk to people!
• Something that uses my hands
• The potential to be a long term project
• Something that can be social or solo
• Something with many variations and things to explore
• A skill with many applications and technical things to learn if so inclined
• A way to connect with other people and use my organising skills
• A way of paying attention to the world
• Something I enjoy doing
• Something that can occasionally give intense satisfaction
• Something to show to others, that they can relate to, that other creative outlets don't
• A way to get into creative flow
• A way to create pretty things
• A way to be more attuned to emotions
• A way to express emotions
• A thing that makes use of a habit of visiting museums and galleries
• A hobby that brings a new way of looking at other art

Finishing Up

Well that's more things than I expected!

What things have crept or muscled their way into your life since/during Covid?