"I don't draw"

“I don’t draw. I don’t Paint.” How often do I hear this? Well at least once a month when some lovely person is signed up to take a watercolor workshop at the studio. Why are they taking the workshop? Their friend who signed them up encouraged them. They are curious. My illustrations they saw in the Instagram feed inspired them to come and give it a shot at drawing and painting.

When a person arrives they have to get used to the idea that they have a place at the table. The creative table where there is paint, pencils, paper, water. There is no turning back. They’ve met me. They meet the other participants and so they sit down. It’s lovely to see the faces of delight when people enter the studio. I think it is very hard to resist the joy of being in a room devoted to creativity. There is just something magical about it.

After about 5 minutes of nothing but sitting at a table with a piece of paper and a pencil the fun begins. There may be a bit of trepidation when I prompt them to do something but heck, what do they have to lose? They do it. At first there is serious negotiation around the pencil and paper. This is quickly dissipated and before they know it there is a brush and paint and the whole entire afternoon to do just nothing but play. The outside world is far away and not only is creativity unfolding on the paper before them but also a gentle feeling of contentment derived from self nurturing comes over the faces at the table.

By the end of the workshop there is a cache of masterpieces under every arm as my new friends leave the studio excited to explore their worlds with wonder, imagination and kindness.