A very short time ago our little family (my husband, the cat, Percy, our dog, Mr. Bean and myself) were evacuated along with about a quarter of a million other people, due to the Kinkaid fire in Northern California. Needless to say, it was very stressful. This is one of the times that really made me realize how important it is for me be creative and play with my sketchbook. Sketching is a great solace to me and takes me out of the situation for even a short time in a kind of magical way. At one point we were sitting under the smoke on a floating dock on the river and there were very few people around. Cranes were strolling around in the mud flats as the tide was out (this river is connected to the ocean) and other water birds were diving. The setting was so incredibly peaceful. I had a small sketchbook that I pulled out of my bag and slowly let the beauty around me, seep in. I lost myself as I sketched the various birds and a very large house on the bank across the water.
What is it that takes any of us to a better place in our minds when we can't escape a hard time. What relieves the stress and gives us a bit of healing? Practicing a simple creative act in a difficult time is a good indication that we can and should practice those creative acts on a regular basis. Life is more about the process than the outcome, and the creative act gives us a way to work through just about any situation.
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