I’ve come to the conclusion that my procrastination is a good thing…it provides tangible and irrefutable evidence that I am *creative*. Great excuse, I hear you snort, but the evidence is there in cyber-space, in blogs of creative folk across the world, all containing at least one post (frequently several) charting individual battles with procrastination.
This realisation is a welcome bolt of lightning which allows me to accept the fact that despite having ample spare time for creative pursuits, I’ve been the least creative that I could possibly have been. I’d imagined dreamy days creating all manner of arty/bloggy/poemy efforts that would provide a useful (or vaguely interesting) outcome for any hours not spent job hunting. Let’s just say that what I have to show for my time is negligible and deserves to remain hidden in my notebook...I’ve doodled some, written zero poems and avoided blogging until a threat to unfollow me prompted action (harsh but effective). In my defence, several blog posts have been mentally composed but lingered in a dusty corner of my mind, this post has been a scandalous 10 days in the making. I’m at peace with this funk though, because I’m *creative* and this just is a well-trodden phase of the journey. [*update* I got a JOB, woohoo! Oh dear, no excuses now :-S]
Have no fear though, life is not all tantrums and frustration; hours of procrastination has led to inspiration in the form of discovering the insanely (in a nice way) talented and über-modest Andrea Joseph, whose illustrations are delightful and awe-inspiring in equal measures. At first glance, the everyday nature of her subjects disguises the effort and attention to detail in every inch of Andrea’s work; footwear is a noted favourite, resulting in a thus-far resisted urge to go shoe shopping myself (how big is Andrea’s shoe closet?). Any item which falls under Andrea’s gaze - the contents of a handbag, with glimpses and hints of past adventures such as bus journeys, cinema outings or recent vacations, newspaper-wrapped chips or a toothbrush - may find itself captured in the flurry of cross-hatches of a nearby biro (has an opportunity for sponsorship gone unexplored?), resulting in intricate illustrations that most mortals could only dream of achieving.
I have been in love with Andrea’s work since first sight, with an enthusiasm which can only be described as evangelical (I wish I knew more people, I fear friends may soon ban me from mentioning Andrea)…I find myself at a loss however (yes, me – lost for words, I know), how I should describe my excitement and admiration for Andrea’s children’s book project-in-progress; stratospheric? I will happily admit to a sizeable art-crush; I never tire of browsing Andrea’s illustrations and her latest project doesn’t disappoint. This is my favourite picture so far and shows just how brilliantly imaginative Andrea is; who among us would know what a pixie stores in its tall hat?
The point of telling you all of this, aside from sharing Andrea’s work with you, is that against all odds Andrea has succeeded in giving me the courage to attempt to overcome the phobia I have over my inability to draw. It is no mean feat to have inspired me to pick up a pencil and ‘just draw’ without worrying about how bad the outcome might be. Everyday objects seem so much friendlier and less daunting than sketching landscapes or wildlife (my blood pressure rose just thinking about it). Drawing the chaos of my desk or the contents of my handbag feels more accessible, and my first effort miraculously revealed that I can produce drawings that don’t need to be labelled before they can be recognised. It’s early days yet but I’m confident that one day in the short to medium-term future I will post a drawing here that you don’t need to squint or tilt your head at to understand. In the meantime, I’ll share the print I bought from Andrea’s Etsy shop…it is the first of many that I intend to own.
This realisation is a welcome bolt of lightning which allows me to accept the fact that despite having ample spare time for creative pursuits, I’ve been the least creative that I could possibly have been. I’d imagined dreamy days creating all manner of arty/bloggy/poemy efforts that would provide a useful (or vaguely interesting) outcome for any hours not spent job hunting. Let’s just say that what I have to show for my time is negligible and deserves to remain hidden in my notebook...I’ve doodled some, written zero poems and avoided blogging until a threat to unfollow me prompted action (harsh but effective). In my defence, several blog posts have been mentally composed but lingered in a dusty corner of my mind, this post has been a scandalous 10 days in the making. I’m at peace with this funk though, because I’m *creative* and this just is a well-trodden phase of the journey. [*update* I got a JOB, woohoo! Oh dear, no excuses now :-S]
Have no fear though, life is not all tantrums and frustration; hours of procrastination has led to inspiration in the form of discovering the insanely (in a nice way) talented and über-modest Andrea Joseph, whose illustrations are delightful and awe-inspiring in equal measures. At first glance, the everyday nature of her subjects disguises the effort and attention to detail in every inch of Andrea’s work; footwear is a noted favourite, resulting in a thus-far resisted urge to go shoe shopping myself (how big is Andrea’s shoe closet?). Any item which falls under Andrea’s gaze - the contents of a handbag, with glimpses and hints of past adventures such as bus journeys, cinema outings or recent vacations, newspaper-wrapped chips or a toothbrush - may find itself captured in the flurry of cross-hatches of a nearby biro (has an opportunity for sponsorship gone unexplored?), resulting in intricate illustrations that most mortals could only dream of achieving.
I have been in love with Andrea’s work since first sight, with an enthusiasm which can only be described as evangelical (I wish I knew more people, I fear friends may soon ban me from mentioning Andrea)…I find myself at a loss however (yes, me – lost for words, I know), how I should describe my excitement and admiration for Andrea’s children’s book project-in-progress; stratospheric? I will happily admit to a sizeable art-crush; I never tire of browsing Andrea’s illustrations and her latest project doesn’t disappoint. This is my favourite picture so far and shows just how brilliantly imaginative Andrea is; who among us would know what a pixie stores in its tall hat?
The point of telling you all of this, aside from sharing Andrea’s work with you, is that against all odds Andrea has succeeded in giving me the courage to attempt to overcome the phobia I have over my inability to draw. It is no mean feat to have inspired me to pick up a pencil and ‘just draw’ without worrying about how bad the outcome might be. Everyday objects seem so much friendlier and less daunting than sketching landscapes or wildlife (my blood pressure rose just thinking about it). Drawing the chaos of my desk or the contents of my handbag feels more accessible, and my first effort miraculously revealed that I can produce drawings that don’t need to be labelled before they can be recognised. It’s early days yet but I’m confident that one day in the short to medium-term future I will post a drawing here that you don’t need to squint or tilt your head at to understand. In the meantime, I’ll share the print I bought from Andrea’s Etsy shop…it is the first of many that I intend to own.
I urge you to explore Andrea’s work*, enjoy losing yourself in meticulously detailed illustrations that will make you smile and shake your head in disbelief. If you can’t justify buying a piece for yourself, you will find yourself working out how many of your friends would enjoy a print for their next birthday. Go for it, it’s a purchase you won’t regret; work this fantastic should to be bought and appreciated. An illustrator which such prolific talent deserves to be recognised and rewarded for their efforts. Indeed, if there is any justice in this world, Andrea’s book will succeed in catapulting her into well-deserved literary spotlight…despite any efforts she may make to continue hiding her considerable light under a proverbial bushel.
*I accept no responsibility for hours lost, art crushes developed or impulse purchases made which result from this recommendation.
*I accept no responsibility for hours lost, art crushes developed or impulse purchases made which result from this recommendation.
