Uncluttered

I drew the above, starting with eyes closed, after a very full week and needing to relax. I'm hoping that the ideas of change and 'going with the flow' are conveyed. Despite the 'clearly not strictly representational style', somehow I don't mind looking at this picture. It seems to align with everyday life at the moment, in which I have a sense of internal stability amidst drama. I don't know if this is related, but recently I've discovered a new interest in noticing and even interacting with people that I don't know. As a massive introvert this is a somewhat surprising development. This morning at the shops, I sat down next to a reasonably senior lady and we shared a short exchange. I felt a warmth in the interaction. I headed off upon receiving an email from Mum and ventured to say, "I hope you have a nice day." She seemed pleased. About half an hour later, I returned with Mum and the lady was still sitting in the same place. I said, ...

  Sometimes things get really busy but I find it helps to look at the sky. This photo was taken in the early hours of the morning at the Gold Coast, a year or so ago. I hope you enjoy the lineup of planets tonight. 

  This was particularly relaxing to draw but what is it? 

  I see change, movement and excitement and yet the sea is in the background as a constant, stabilising feature. 

  How do you feel, what do you think when looking at this photo? Taken off the east coast of Australia. 

This emerged from the wavy lines after a bit of page rotation. What do you see?

  What do you see in this 'circles doodle' which started with closed eyes?

Colour, stability, patience, thoughtfulness... What ideas does this tree evoke for you?

Part of the east coast of Tasmania. I sense calm, depth, bursts of illumination. What do you perceive?

I don't think this drawing follows too many artistic conventions - such as using pens that aren't running out - and yet I find it interesting to look at and it somehow makes me feel happy. Maybe this is because I felt a sense of freedom in drawing the contour lines and choosing colours. I think I should do another version sometime, maybe with fresh pens. What do you see or feel when you contemplate this picture?

  Looking at the ocean gives me a feeling of spaciousness and time. Even though I'm often extremely busy, I have time this morning to ponder this photo and ask, "what is it telling me?"

Over some 50 years, family members and I have used our imaginations to create stories, games, pseudosporting contests, action shots, comedy shows, experiments and videos using various Snoopy toys. Some of the Snoops are holding off disintegration and a few are international travellers! (Snoopy on the second bottom shelf came back from Samoa with me in 1994, went on to Soeul in my suitcase and returned to Brisbane the next day!) There have been many moments of humour and happiness.  In recent years the younger generation added penguins, koalas, kangaroos, quokkas, Tasmanian devils, elephants and other animals to the fold. This morning I ponder from where does this creative spark emerge? What does it teach us? What should we do now?

  A young person looked at this drawing on the wall of a classroom the other day and said, "I want to make one of those." This surprised me because it's been there for months without comment and I privately thought it was a bit of a mess.  What did the young person see in it, I wonder. Maybe she could see it for what it is or what it represents without having to analyse it.  Yesterday, for unknown reasons, I felt extremely drawn to researching some theological issues during my lunch break. I uncovered some complex stuff but at the end of it I was left with the images of Martha in the bible (I had a Great Aunty Martha by the way) serving Jesus and Mary (my mother's middle name) listening at the feet of Jesus, as was the practice of disciples. These two approaches, when taken together, are probably a good roadmap for life. Sometimes we serve others, sometimes we listen.  As the meerkat says in that TV advertisement that airs in Australia, and possibly elsewhere, "s...

  Looking towards the east coast of Tasmania. Peaceful.

  Immersed in scenery at Caloundra, Queensland. 

Fairly sparse. What do you see here?

Basking in the moment at Caloundra, Queensland. 

  Precision, balance, beauty...

  As summer holds on, our young liquid amber has stepped early into autumn. 

Experiencing calm by contemplating design in nature. Gold Coast, Queensland. 

  What do you see in the sky or clouds?

The view at a very pretty local cricket ground where the wind rustles the leaves and the kookaburras laugh. Good for the soul. 

Near Port Arthur, Tasmania.  My thoughts are drawn to the light within the human heart. 

I was waiting for the sun to look like half a disc, but it just bent the horizon in an optical illusion, and then sunk out of sight in an instant!

  I find the glow of the moon very peaceful. 

  I did some eyes-closed doodling, opened eyes and enhanced with colour and extra lines. Ended up with this. What do you see?

  I look at this and see some kind of non-realistic, arid garden. It started with meandering lines breaking the page into sections. I enjoyed the colours and the smooth feel of the dual tip pens on the page. 

Taking photos in the cool of morning was peaceful in itself. Cropping and reviewing then provided another space in which to rest my mind.