Drawing what is right in front of me

Observational drawing is fundamental in developing our ability to see and interpret the world with greater sensitivity, and depth. It trains one’s eye to notice very subtle details, proportions, and the relationships between shapes, fostering a heightened awareness that can significantly enhance creative flow engendering a deep calm and sense of wellbeing. By engaging directly and attentively with the subject, searching to capturing texture, light, and shadow and allowing the subject to emerge.

This disciplined practice nurtures patience and mindfulness, encouraging a more thoughtful, deliberate, and intuitive approach to artmaking. For abstract artists like myself, observational drawing is not merely about replication but about discovering the unique and dynamic interplay of line, form, and colour that sparks joy, emotion, and a meaningful connection.

Tangled branches weave a silent rhyme,
A lattice caught in time’s slow climb.
Twisting limbs in whispered dance,
Shadowed secrets, a fleeting glance.

Beneath the boughs, the light distils,
Softly draped in nature’s thrills.
Each knot and curl a story spun,
In tangled branches, day is done.

In their embrace, the mind takes flight,
Finding joy within the sight.
A tangled art, both dark and bright,
Where chaos meets serene delight.