{"id":6040,"date":"2020-04-17T18:19:46","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T06:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clairedelaney.com\/?p=6040"},"modified":"2020-04-17T18:23:56","modified_gmt":"2020-04-17T06:23:56","slug":"the-art-of-staying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clairedelaney.com\/2020\/04\/17\/the-art-of-staying\/","title":{"rendered":"The art of staying"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
How do I find calm in the chaos ? I\u2019ve been turning to nature constantly. Loving my daily walks and just taking notice of the beauty around me.The first thing I hear every morning is the birds song. I tune into it and remember that they sing anyway. They remind me just to do my thing. Which is to write and illustrate, share and care.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t At the beginning of lockdown, I Remember reading that the antidote to fear, is gratitude. I felt immensely grateful for so many things and decided I would draw every day to express this and to remind myself to be positive. Yet I wanted to go deeper than that, I wanted to not only observe my surroundings but also my feelings and stay with what ever I felt. Be compassionate and gentle. So I created a safe space to doodle every day, remembering to play with no rules or regulations and share whatever came up. I\u2019ve called it the \u201c Isolated Illustrator-project \u201cand I share my drawings and writing on instagram and Facebook.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t It was inspired by the \u201cHundred day project\u201d I did in 2014, when I was going through a very hard time and I learnt so much about myself. Each day I turned up at the page to draw and write. I had to accept the bad drawings and clumsy words. I practiced until it flowed, I told myself no one will know but me how much better this could be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Interesting how now, when the whole world feels topsy turvy and uncertain, I become sure of my pen, as it becomes my zen.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Some days I struggle and Glenn says \u201c You\u2019ve created a monster!\u201d I reflect on how this mostly happens when I create something and it grows too big too soon. Usually I stop and start something new. Leave the discomfort of repetition and routine but this time I\u2019m changing the story and staying.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> I guess I have to know I can\u2019t do everything and be all things to all people. Glenn\u2019s very good at telling me to \u201clet go!\u201dand I think of what? Of expectations? Worry and perfection? I am the only one who puts pressure on myself.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Yesterday when I received another lovely comment on my post from someone I don\u2019t know, who told me she looked forward to my daily doodles as she was alone in her bubble. I suddenly felt this connection. The knowledge that my art was still in the community and reaching people who needed it. I realised I was creatively caring and that was my gift to the world.<\/p> The funny thing is I didn\u2019t create the artwork to sell….but I have sold quite a few and I have a new children\u2019s book to illustrate from a Facebook friend who loves my drawings. I guess all of this helps me to stay with my art and trust that it is of value.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t How do I find calm in the chaos ? I\u2019ve been turning to nature constantly. Loving my daily walks and just taking notice of the beauty around me.The first thing I hear every morning is the birds song. I tune into it and remember that they sing anyway. They remind me just to do my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n