Drawn to Nature: How Sketching Grows Creativity

During the still, slow, uncertain moments of winter, when the daily yard tasks come few and far between and require less work, a part of me yearned for more time where I could find new experiences and gain deeper satisfaction with creating. Before this, I’ve had creative outlets where I carved moments in time restoring what time may have been lost, where it always felt raw and ephemeral, but where I always turn to for joy. I then started to ask myself what would become of it if I continued to do more? Accepting this turning point in my life meant I had to change myself and my habits if I wanted to build a deeper relationship with it and become more intentional and aligned. Soon after, I returned to building my art skills after over a decade of taking a formal class, and I was able to discover a new creative process brewing, complete with new watercolor palettes. I was hooked and ready to let my imagination run wild and take this next step to take this new journey seriously.

Last February, the short month began with a new challenge of whether I could draw consistently for 28 days. It was a good practice to help me put my feet to the fire and grow my skills with discipline and consistency. I asked ChatGPT to create 28 daily drawing prompts to help me explore connections between gardening & drawing to still keep my passion going. Turning inward was where my soul truly found warmth in this past season and opened a door in my personal journey of creative discovery.

Pattern titled, "Everybody Loves the Sunshine"

Here’s what this experience uncovered over time: 

• I grew more naturally curious and captured the depths of what's growing around me and trained my eyes and skills to capture what I've observed. 

• It enhanced my daily walks and discovered the diversity found in nature with new sights, colors, and textures.

• Gave myself space to be messy and make simplified or bad art because it's where things begin 

• To my surprise, it provided an opportunity for my brain to try new things and create new and lasting routines

• Be still, remain present, try new strokes, techniques, create stories that I wanted to tell. 

• I found ways to still seek comfort and practice patience during slow seasons that met my needs.

When the world feels out of alignment with where you’re headed and unsure where to move forward, drawing is one way you can invite time to reflect, regroup, and restore during a slow season. Even if it required simple, mundane, new habits formed and flowed naturally.

If you’re looking for more creative inspiration here are some questions you can reflect on: 

1. When I am feeling stuck or when life feels slow and unfulfilling, how can I invite more space for creating?

2. If I only had 15 minutes per day, what is something I can do?

3. What feelings arise when I create without judgment or expectation?

4. In what ways can creating help me feel more present?

5. What part of my day feels most creative? How can I protect that time?

6. How does [insert any creative activity here; ex. Gardening, painting, making pottery or jewelry, etc.] affect my body—my breath, posture, energy?

7. What might I be holding onto that I could express or release through a creative activity?

A daily drawing practice offered an invitation to enhance on what plans were naturally unfolding widening in my life while holding space and trying something new from the lessons I've learned. Some ideas came immediately, where others took time for me to think through and decide what I was drawing. But, overall, it was really fun to stretch and grow throughout the 28-day exercise, and learn more about my skills. It even sparked new inspiration, and I began writing a list of topics I wanted to explore that diver further into like painting florals, vegetables, landscapes etc.) Or where I wanted to explore something totally different.

What are some creative activities you are interested in? Share them below in the comments!