Countisbury from the allotment

 Fast forward 20+ years to a month ago.

For the first time since I was at art collage, I carry a sketchbook with me and draw from life. 

I started off not knowing what I wanted to do, just that I wanted to do something, this is the reason I posted all my old work, trying to find a starting point. I'm not sure I found one, but it was good to revisit old work.

We have an allotment with the most amazing view. Across Lynmouth Bay to Countisbury, with the Blue Ball pub nestling in a little dip.

My first attempt at drawing was pretty rubbish, I'd forgotten how to look at things to see the details, my hand was wobbly and the sketchbook was made out of blotting paper.

24/3/2021

But I quickly got better, doing quick sketches in the open air and working on them when I got home. A lovely friend gave me some coloured graphics pens, so I had colour to play with.

25/3/2021

14/4/2021

I haven't finished drawing Countisbury and will get better as time goes on. I feel its important to post everything I do, even the sketches I am embarrassed of, so you/I can watch my journey.

Old larger works

 From late 1900's to early 2000's

Old sketchbook pages

 Late 1990's to early 2000's.

More old drawings

 I haven't got around to posting my old work here as I'm so busy with my new work, so here is a photographic recap. All created in the late 1990's to early 2000's.

Early 1980's

The last time I made art was 20+ years ago, at that time I also used my sketchbooks as diaries. Reading back I was so insecure about my art and doubted myself constantly, 20+ years ago the internet was very new, instagram and blogs didn't exist. If only they had I might off had more confidence in myself and my life might of taken a different path.

Today I have Instagram and this blog, its mine to say & do and show the world whatever I want, if the world would like to comment that's fine, if it doesn't that's fine too. This is not about trying to get noticed, or trying to become famous or even good for that matter, its simply about me expressing myself and the enjoyment I get from it.

Anyway back to Instagram, after I'd posted a few doodles I decided to post a selection of my old work, mainly to decide which direction to start in and to prove to the world that I used to be able draw & paint rather than just scribble.

These drawings were all drawn in the early 1980's, I had just left art college and was a "sad Billy no mates" as all my friends had gone on to uni and other careers. I worked as a customs officer at Felixstowe docks and over the weekends sat in my car drawing houses in the town.

Doodles March 2021

 My new Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/queenies_trees/ started with a few doodles, drawn in a tiny A6 sketchbook, which I had bought from eBay several years ago. I mistakenly thought I was going to take up sketching again, it sat on a shelf for a couple of years patiently waiting to be used.

I later realised that my tiny cheap sketchbook was made with low quality paper that behaved like blotting paper, but as I've started using it I intend to use at least half it before I give up and buy something better.

Another reason That I picked up my pen again was that my writing was appalling I couldn't keep it on the line of lined paper. Due to only writing on computers for the last 20 years I had forgotten how to use a pen.

I started off with a couple of gel pens I found in the cupboard.

I quickly resorted to eBay to buy some more colours and ended up with a set of Pental Hybrid Dual metallic's. So exciting and so much fun to use.

It all started...

 It all started a couple of weeks ago, whilst colouring with Magnus the Magnificent, Prince of Mud I realise that I was doodling instead playing with him.

Over the past few year or so I haver struggled to force myself to be interested in crochet, I think I've made my last blanket (at least for the foreseeable future).

I think my lack of enthusiasm and inspiration is partly a result of the 2020 covid lockdown's, at a time I when I should of been most creative as we were in lockdown I decided to write another crochet book. The book was a rewrite of my 2012 Desirable Crochet Motif books, I concentrated on making small motif samples for patterns, most of which were old designs. 

I half heartedly started a new blanket and badly knitted jumper. I eventually finished the blanket a few weeks ago, I'm still enjoying mindlessly knitting, and have cast on a second badly knitted jumper. Absolute zero chance of needing to write a pattern.

I was on the critically medically endangered list, the government sent me a constant stream of letters telling me to lock myself in my bedroom or there was a chance I could die. It was terrifying, my mental health really suffered, my anxiety was out of control. I wasn't in a good place, no wonder my inspiration died.

I still have 2 books left to write, the first is Magnus's blanket book, luckily the blankets are made, all I need are photo's and to lay it out, I'm hoping to get it published this year.  The second book is a scarf book, I don't know how many yet, but I can make scarves quickly so its not a big weight hanging over my head, it will probably be published in 2022, maybe 2023 depending on how much enthusiasm I have.

Going back to colouring with Magnus, I realised how happy it made me to pick up a pen again. It made me think that maybe I could start drawing and painting again, maybe I could be an artist again. It doesn't matter how good or bad I am, the process of creating was the source of my happiness, so I opened a new Instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/queenies_trees/