of little paths and some big ones too.
One of the least trodden is the idea that
drawing is a form of meditation. In its action
and in its reading. I say least trodden because
I find the idea so special and meaningful I rarely
make an obvious point of it in my work.
But it's always there, this latent, magical,
intangible benefit to me, the drawer and also - in
experiencing the drawing - the viewer.
The process as I have discovered over the years is
twofold. As I draw I benefit from a deep connection
with my being self. My bodily activity feeds back to my meditative mind an
essence of presence, an ability to remain in the moment only noticing my
marks, the sound of my pencil, the touch of the paper.... In turn this state of
meditation is where I can override the doubt, the thinking me's critical
turgid stream of negativity, the block, the fear; it doesn't matter what
or how I'm drawing or why, the only thing of importance in that moment is the
action.
And so it brings me to the project I have been working on with Tonja Mills,
a great friend of mine who has been exploring meditation and well being for
a long time. We have created a series of workshops, retreats, and courses
providing the space and tools to enable this phenomenal process.
We've put the information here:
www.drawingthroughmeditation.weebly.com
It would be great if you could share it around, we would really like this to grow
and be able to offer it widely.
I am also exploring the idea of how the activity of drawing (mindfully) can
release ideas and what its importance is in the process of art making. It's not
new territory but it's a culmination of where the performative aspect of
my drawing has been going for quite a while. I'll put up some of the research
images in my next blog.
If I get time...........................!
