A Dream and an Inspiration

I had a dream a few weeks ago in which the book The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady came to mind. Many years ago, I had seen this book and admired its beautifully illustrated pages. Edith Holden started her diary in 1906, and filled it with poetry, quotes, and observations of her surroundings. She painted the birds, butterflies, and flowers in her little village with detail and delicacy, her love of nature obvious with each stroke. Edith's lovely book was her own personal treasure until it was published in 1977, many years after her death.

I searched the online catalog of the public library to see if the book was still available. To my delight, there was one copy of it, and I promptly made a trip to the appropriate branch to check it out. Edith's book is still just as enchanting as I remembered, and it has inspired me to try something similar. I purchased a new planner to use for my art journal this year, and I like the idea of focusing on a theme. While I will probably include other items in my book, the wildlife in my own backyard is always there to be observed, written about, and illustrated.

I recently discovered another book, The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws. Here is a book packed with information, illustrations, and inspiration. It takes the idea of a "country diary" and guides the reader through the process of awareness, observation, and inquiry, while teaching techniques for drawing the wonders of nature. This book brings together perfectly the disciplines of science and art.

This year I hope to keep a record of God's creation by observing the flora and fauna in my garden. Although South Florida lacks the drastic change in seasons that exist in other places, there are subtle differences that occur with the passing of the months. Each day brings something new to discover, if we take the time to notice. Unlike Edith's diary, my little book will probably never be published for all the world to see. It will be my own personal treasure to enjoy. I am looking forward to the journey.

Perfection?

What is perfection, anyway? The dictionary defines it as the quality of being free from all flaws or defects. The trouble with perfection is that it is unattainable. While it may be possible to get a perfect score on a spelling test, the work of our hands invariably falls short of our expectations. And in trying to reach that impossible goal of perfection, we sometimes become paralyzed, unable to do anything at all.

I will readily admit that I suffer from that malady called perfectionism. I must always be the one to paint the trim in a room, for example, because it must be just so. I want my lines to be crisp and clean, and anything less bothers me terribly. I must be the one to install the bathroom tile, because each tile must be aligned properly and evenly spaced. And yet, it still isn't perfect.

One of my favorite painters is Salvador Dali. The Spanish artist known for his melting clocks and signature mustache was a creative genius with an eccentric personality. His paintings are absolutely stunning, with colors that sparkle and subjects that require serious thought. He painted so much more than melting clocks! Perhaps one of the reasons his body of work is so immense is that he wasn't crippled by perfectionism.

My attempts at keeping a sketchbook in the past have always been sidelined by that feeling of dismay when a drawing didn't turn out to my liking. But this time, I am trying to overcome that hang-up. If it's not perfect, so what? I will resist the temptation to tear out the offending sheet of paper, and keep it for the record. And so, as a reminder to myself to give up the ridiculous expectation that everything I do must be perfect, I have written Dali's quote in my art journal:

Have no fear of perfection -- you'll never reach it.

Hopefully, his words will encourage me to press on, even when I am discouraged by my failures. I may not be as prolific in my painting as Salvador Dali, but I will try to create more art than I have in the past -- even if it's not perfect.

A Busy Week

It has been another busy week with little time for blogging. Having my husband home for the summer is always nice, and we've been spending a great deal of time working around the house and enjoying each other's company. In just a few more weeks, school will begin again, so we have been trying to get the tiling done in our bathroom. This is a project we started a year ago. But with my husband's busy schedule, we just couldn't seem to get anywhere with it. So we decided enough is enough and set our minds to getting the job done. We make a good team: I do the measuring and installation, and he does the mixing of the mortar and the tile cutting. I am happy to report that we are making progress. We are hoping to have the shower finished and usable by the time school starts.

My latest project has been creating an art journal. I've been trying to squeeze in a little time each evening to work on it. So far, I am just warming up. I have lots of ideas for pictures and quotes and things to do with my journal, and once we get the tiling finished, I will get more creative. My first page of daily entries is shown above, and here is my collage for the month of July:

I used pictures from magazines that remind me of July. It's not fancy, but it's a start. There will be little watercolor paintings and sketches and some of my favorite Bible verses. I will include quotes and ideas and memories. Hopefully, my doodles will get better and better, and my creativity will increase. And then will come more ideas and more art! Would you like to join me? Grab a sketchbook or a planner (no need to wait until January -- academic calendars start in July), some colored pencils or pens, and express yourself! It's your book; you can do what you want. Happy journaling!