Jane Davenport Blog

I felt like crying…that “I’ve given up and need to lay down with my head in a pillow and sigh and let tears roll out” type weeping…no racking sobs…just defeat in action. Why? My Institute of Cute website just blew up. I upgraded the software and the shopping cart hit a snag, and …voila…a shambles. I need to completely re-build it…urgh…I’d rather be painting!

So with the physical manifestations of full-blown stress…my neck on fire, shortness of breath from a squeezed in ribcage, fluttery nervousness in the pit of the stomach and I teetering between insane anger, nausea and  generalised “eeeeeeeeeeks!”. My  “I’ve just been to Paris” buzz was in grave danger.

So what do I start doing? …doodling faces. Just loose, scribbly things. Then the overwhelming urge to get out art supplies and start rendering takes me, the involvement with the piece overtakes me and quite transforms my state of mind from “the sky is falling…actually its climbed into a wrestling ring and is throwing itself down on me!” to “aaaaah….” and eventually I emerge from this trance-like state with my customary smile and a piece of artwork torn straight from my soul.

And I started thinking back to recent stressful times…and considering if this is a pattern – and yes it is!

On the 8th hour of a 14 hour flight in a jam-packed economy class cabin, when I started to wonder “why am I doing this to myself? Paris just isn’t worth it”…I started drawing. It calmed my impending ‘Cabin fever’ right down. It stopped me from running up and down the aisles screaming “get me out of heeeeere!”. It helped me travel all the way there and back again. I didn’t try and leap out of the emergency exit once.

When I go through my journals and really consider the types of faces I pull out of my imagination when I’m freaked out, hurt, or stressed, I can see the pattern of calm faces. The direct look, the serene colours, lots of blending, soft light. They are saying “Relax petal, everything is going to be alright. ” In contrast when I ‘Draw Happy’ I tend to draw totally differently…happier faces, mermaids, animals…brighter colours, more contrast…like the sun is shining.

I’ve heard of Comfort Food – But comfort drawing? It’s a real thing I’ve just named. Comfort Drawing (TM). I’m going to dive right in to that and explore more!

Comfort Drawing is so relaxing…and drawing faces is my personal bliss…an active meditation.
Give it a try!

x

Jane

Did you know my first ‘real job’ was as a Fashion illustrator? I even went to Paris to study at the Institute of Fine Arts. Alcohol-based Markers were my weapon of choice because they are clean and quick to work with. I still have my collection, and there is plenty of juice left in most of them. Pantaone Letrasets, Yokens, Shinhans, Chartpaks, Prismacolor markers… some are stinkier than others (Chartpaks = pee-yew!), but its the Copics that reign supreme. The are the least wiffy, the colours are magic and the brush nibs are heaven-in-a-pen. But they have pretty much sat idle for the past few years…

Then along came Adriana Almanzar and her Siren Dreams class. I have admired this talented ladies work for some time. I was tempted, I love mermies! But I am teaching online at 21 Secrets and giving that my all. I was also working on my book, meant to be painting ( there is only 1 painting left in my gallery now! ), plus I am going on my big trip to Paris and Portugal and I am planning it down to the minute. I don’t have time for another class!

But then I found out that Copic markers were a big part of the class. And I buckled! And man alive, am I glad I did. Ady is so generous with her classes. Videos galore! And she creates seriously gorgeous art…she calls her subjects dollies, and in her accent, the word takes on a lustrous importance.

So I have had the videos playing while I was working on my book…ladybirds and mermaids are a surprisingly pleasant on-screen combination. I have set up a mini-studio next to my chair in the media-room. I stocked it with supplies I wasn’t using as much but deserved their place in my hands. My Copics are all prettily lined up. and my second- favourite pencils, Lyra Polycolor, are in work. And while watching a video ( Grand Designs and Angel) or two, I draw. And draw. And draw.

They start off as doodles…just simple random sketches, and build up into mermaids and goddesses…

And here I’ve used my new Copic Ex 4 set – super, super light colours. I like the pastel, bleached by the sun effect I’ve got going on here. My marker techniques from those illustration days are coming back to me, and I am learning lots of new methods from Ady. This Mermie isn’t finished yet, but I thought I would show where I am up to:

You can swing by Ady’s classroom site and watch the free tutorials she has prepared, plus sign up for her classes…I love the way she draws eyeslashes!

Copic marker portrait set is available here: Blick Art Materials
Lyra polycolor pencils available here: Blick Art Materials

Angus gave me a huge H frame easel and giant canvas for Christmas. It is a lovely object, even before it gets beautified with paint splatters and creative juices! I have been saying for a while now how I would love to paint again, and now there are no excuses!

But it has been so long since I picked up a paintbrush, that I felt I needed a bit of  refreshment at a workshop or two, or three….I discovered that the wonderful  Still at The Centre, which is an Art Gallery just down the road from my studio ( that I had a solo exhibition at), had created a plethora of art classes. So I am attending just about all of them!

I have been re-familiarising myself with acrylics, gouache and ink; life drawing, still life drawing and creative drawing. I have discovered Art Journalling (love.).

I adore my teachers, all of them are successful local artists with so much to share. I respond well to the time pressure of the three hour classes. I really, really enjoy creating works in the company of my classmates. And working in a different studio is fun (I don’t have to worry about paint spilling on my divine new carpet!). And then there is the art supplies store in the gallery…delicious den of delights…how I love to browse through all the pastels, pencils, papers and paints.

I am at a different class nearly every day. I load up my gear, and ride my bicycle there,  carrying my canvas like a shield! And you would think that I would be burning up creative energy and not have space left for my photography and projects…but no! I have never been so prolific. I am  art-ing everyday. Oh bliss, bliss, bliss!

If you are in Byron Bay, you must, must, must come and participate in an art class. You can just join in for individual classes, come to a few, or attend the whole term. They are challenging and relaxing in equal measure, and always fun. And if you are not in Byron, well, go and find an art class near you, and do life drawing, or painting or whatever takes your fancy. (do it!, do it! do it!  ; )  )

Last night I did a quick little count of  how many classes I have done since leaving school…I have listed over 70 so far. Yes. SEV.EN.TY.  Most of them are art or creativity based. From international workshops : fashion illustration in Paris, fashion photography in London, Children’s book illustration in Bologna, PhotoShop in Sante Fe, Fine Art printing in Maine, and nature photography in San Francisco.  To my time in Sydney where I studied at the Australian Centre of Photography (and still do go from time to time), The National Art School, UNSW and COFA and the ESE College. I even did a year at the School of Colour and Design (wonderful!). In Byron Bay I have done a few computer courses – Illustrator and DreamWeaver, plus screen printing, ink press. I have taken French classes all over ( I keep on trying!!), stand-up comedy, acting and singing! Then there are the online courses…

You know what? I am a workshop wizard. Permanently curious. Too busy to commit to full-time study. I just love discovering a new class, planning for it and anticipating what will happen. The light social interaction. The mentorship from the teacher. Of course, I love some more than others. Sometimes I discover that I am just not ‘into’ whatever it is I signed up for, and even that is a valuable lesson. Sometimes the class leads me to discover something entirely new about myself!

I will be in Sydney over Easter, and have been scouring the internet to find an interesting class I can go to while I am down there! Nothing has leaped up yet

What about you? Are you a ‘continued education’ junkie? What are your recommendations for me!