“So much of the adventure of the life we lead rushes past us in a blur. Velocity is the culprit. Velocity and pressure. A sketchbook freezes time. It is an instantaneous form of meditation focusing us on the worth of every passing moment. So often the great adventure of life lies between the lines, in how we felt at a certain time and at a certain place. This tool will help you to remember and savor the passing parade.”
-Julia Cameron, Walking in this World, pg. 83.
So much of my own passing parade is indeed going by in a blur. Rich, full, intensely wonderful events, one right after the other…I can barely contain them. I move from one to the next, purposing to be present and bring my whole self fully there to experience every choral and band concert of three musical children in their respective middle school, high school, and college events, each and every senior-in-high-school graduation event to the next…I cannot draw them all. So I opt for the in-between moments.
It is the in-between part that is hard. Reeling from the memories made, I gather myself to prepare for the next event: how do I get there, what do I need to bring to it, what does my child need, etc. Daily walks and bike rides are proving to be good medicine for the end of school year parade.
The above sketch is drawn from my photo of a lovely spot while cycling around Salem Lake. I’ve just learned how to take panorama photos and I love the encompassing view this affords. It strikes me that this panorama view is exactly what we do when we are faced with “ends” of things. We look back at the previous school year, or the high school years, or all the years leading up to a graduation, a moving on…the panorama of life lived up to that point.
As Julia Cameron says, “the great adventure of life lies between the lines…”, so the real adventure of these little bikes rides in-between the memory making events, lies somewhere in-between the lines of the drawing. Beautiful dappled light, calm peaceful water, cool breeze on skin, effort and exertion in-between coasting, rustling leaves with the whir of a bicycle’s wheels…all this is somehow up there in-between those lines.
Though I myself moved on from that spot on the Lake to celebrate a boy turning 18, to drive the oldest daughter to the airport for her trip to England, and so much more…I look at this sketch and I’m there again, standing on the trail with sounds of fish jumping in the waters on either side of me. I will be there again, taking in the panorama of this Lake, this Life, this Adventure.
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For those who wish to know: I made this sketch using a Schaeffer Calligraphy Pen and my trusty water brush in a 9″ x 12″ Aquabee Sketchbook.
Being with you this past Sunday, I was reminded how generous God has been in your life. Such amazingly creative and kind children you and Randy have brought up for this world to enjoy is perhaps your greatest work of art but we will continue to hope and long for your drawings, paintings, poetry and knitting.
What an incredibly kind compliment Dad…It’s hard to take credit for our kids. They seem to be their own individuals, uniquely beautiful in his/her own way apart from any influence Randy and I may have had. I know it all works together somehow, our efforts, their own personalities, etc. But I’ll keep painting and knitting to keep my sanity though it all, and to keep reminding myself of the Beauty that is all around me, including my kids.
Love this meditation. I’m watching the whirl of life as a grandmother now and it still does seem to be a whirlwind of events even though I am a bit removed. My grandkids are about your kid’s ages and although they aren’t into music they are into dance, ice skating and starting jobs plus my eldest having just got married and now a party planned for the couple to restate their vows among family and friends coming up on the 30th which my daughter has been in charge of totally but that means enlisting the grandparents more than willing help! We need those small bits “in between” to let the events settle and become part of us before the next one comes up! Your drawings in this style are so peaceful! As much as I love color there is a time for needed peaceful scenes too.