Why Sharon’s Sketchy Stuff

Eek! the traditional first post of a blog. It always feels more important than it actually is. Why am I building a new site? What is it about? Make a cuppa and I will attempt to explain it to myself if not you.

I hope Sharon’s Sketchy stuff will become a quiet creative space. I want to explore new and old areas of interest in the visual arts. Much of this interest involves following my nose and exploring the ideas via various forms of sketch-booking and journalling.

Much of modern life has become about collecting experiences. Once it was buying the t-shirt in other words collecting objects. Now, people take a selfie in doing so I see them as collecting the experience. I have nothing against selfies as such. I do wonder however, how meaningful an activity is when it consists of people dashing here and there, seeing this and that, and then take a selfie to record what is important in their day. I do know it is not for me as I like a bit more of a deep dive.

In sketching or writing in a journal, or even to write blog post such as this, it forces you to slow down, to think a moment, to make connections between this idea and that idea, to internalise the experience, so it can be part of your history, your story and who you are. It is these connections that make the experience more solid. It is more solid because you have slowed to focus on it. The journal is just the tool. In writing about something it allows me to clarify my thoughts. In sketching something it allows me to understand how something exists in the world. In sharing on a blog the result of the experience in other words the sketch or ideas formed while writing I make connections. Social connections with people that often have more depth than a like on instagram.

Contemporary journaling frequently combines visual elements such as photos, sketches, and collage with written text. Journaling has been heavily influenced by book arts and artist books. Some modern journals are more about the images between the pages than the written content. Other journals explore format as they include pages that fold out, have concertina pages, or hold memorabilia in pockets. This format shift can be taken to an extreme with journals that are on filing cards, or postcards instead of notebooks. As a genre, contemporary journaling is behaving like a teenager, with all the passion and energy of a young life, rebelling against tradition and conformity of lined notebooks.

I have had an interest in contemporary journaling most of my adult life. Since 1989 I have kept a journal every day. There are 2 exceptions in this record. Each is a break of about 6 weeks. Both were during times of crisis. In my own journal I am not interested in too much angst and introspection. I do practice gratitude journalling but mainly my interests look outward. Basically I like people watching. I like to record events in my community. I keep what I call an observational journal, writing about my reaction to what happens on my patch of the globe, recording by sketch or photograph what happens in my life.

Technology has also influenced the genre as digital journals which can include photos, video and sound. The internet has also influenced journaling as people seek out others that keep a journal and share prompts, ideas and techniques which means a genre journaling grows producing many interesting hybrids. For instance groups such as Urban Sketchers, encourage people to stretch their creativity regularly by developing a habit of sketching where they live.

As I write, there are sites online that focus on sketching and art journaling but not much on writing and the practice of keeping a journal. There are other sites that focus on writing but not on the visual elements. I plan to mix the two topic areas as I do in my own journals. I figure I may have a few tips to share that are useful for others. Creativity sparks in the form of prompts, books read, gallery visits and travel can help others, with journaling ideas too. Since my own journal practice is always changing as I try out various techniques in my own journals I will share them with you.

As a side note – one area I don’t plan to go is the angst ridden navel gazing stuff under some disguise of honestly working through issues. If you have metal health issues dont pick at the past like scab that wont heal, see a professional and get real help. A doctor may suggest a journal for health reasons but the internet is not the place for it.

It is important for creative activities to be validated. Creative people need to know it is OK to be different. In the last decade I have had the wonderful experience of seeing a local group of Canberra Urban Sketchers grow. People have learnt new skills and the experience of sketching has been enhanced by being part of a group. It’s nice to feel that what you enjoy is not so weird, or out of place.

Sometimes if you read about an activity online and it is something you have half thought to do – seeing someone else do it helps you take the first step. Knowing someone else does it, validates the desire to try something. If you encounter a group interested in the same thing it can be very powerful as well as educational. A group can expose you to new ideas that leads you to trying out something new which in turn leads to developing skills.

So these are the reasons behind Sharon’s Sketchy Stuff let’s see how it goes!