Hello lovely friends,
Welcome to the very first edition of The Sketchbook Dispatch! I’ll be sharing one of these each month — a mix of what I’ve been working on in my sketchbooks and a spotlight on the incredible things our Creating Wild community has been dreaming up, sketching out, and bringing to life inside our member space.
Honestly, I’m in awe. There’s something so nourishing about being surrounded by curious, magical minds, and it’s such a joy to be able to share even a small piece of their work with you.
Alongside their creations, I’m also giving you a little peek into my own process this month. A video walk-through of my sketchbooks — eclectic, evolving, and full of both fast timed sketches (that challenge my recovering perfectionist tendencies) and slower, more thoughtful explorations (my preferred modus operandi!). I’ve been feeling a real pull toward “slow art” lately, but also experimenting with quicker studies to loosen things up for my illustrated work.
If I had to name a theme that’s emerged through all of this, it would be permission — giving myself the space to try something new (like storytelling through illustrated essays) and letting delight lead the way, even if it means stepping off the well-worn path or confronting what I thought I was and wasn’t “good at.”
So, with that, I hope you enjoy the video. Let’s dive into what our amazing community has been creating.
Before I send you off into the wild...
If you’d like to be part of the Creating Wild community, you can learn more about it here. We’ve built a private, cozy corner away from the noise of social media. A space to explore creativity together through monthly workshops, weekly prompts, and a shared practice studio where you can connect, ask questions, and share what you’re working on. We’d love you to be a part of it.
🎨 Wild Works from the Creating Wild Community
1. Exploring The Giving Side Of Creativity with Brigid Piccaro
The “big reveal” feels a bit bold but I have been working on a project that was a secret.
A few months back I was extremely fortunate to be invited on a women’s trip to Yellowstone National Park by the magical Terry Kuebler. During a pre-trip zoom Terry revealed that when she asked her guides for a token animal representative for the group she got quite a surprise. Not the usual suspects that Yellowstone has to offer as expected, bear, bison, eagle, etc. but Octopus!!! The ultimate shape shifter and expert in becoming one with its environment.
One day perusing a leather store, my hubby points out an octopus stamp and BOOM, decision made in an instant. Being fairly certain finding an Octopus with the word “Yellowstone” in a gift shop wasn’t going to happen, I grab a pack of veg tanned keychains and the beginnings of Oscar the Octopus (named by Terry later) was born.
The gift of giving was the catalyst that allowed me to experiment more than I would have ever had I been making solely for myself. Although at one point, I remembered my grandma telling me to never cook something you’ve never made for new people. YIKES!
Up until now I had done a little tooling and dyeing on throw away practice pieces but GIFTS? What was I thinking? This led to moments of doubt, “What if they get tossed in the bin/“ or “What if they (and me) are the joke at the dinner table behind my back?” Whenever those took hold, I would sit back, look around at my new little studio, and a giddy bit of peace would overcome me. It was so freeing to realize that I was having so much fun in the learning and the doing that anything that happened after could not change what already was, creative joy.
There was so much I had never done and the learning was steep at times. First, learning to use Canva to print the word Yellowstone in a curve. This was the template that I then transferred. Second, tattooling both the word and the year by hand. Third, I don’t paint! Let alone a detailed little dude like Oscar! Hahaha! The painting took about 4 applications as the dye kept coming through and diluting the color. Realizing that each step takes 24hrs to dry created a time crunch and concern I wouldn’t finish. (Not only the paint but the dye before and the clear finish after have to cure for 24hrs) During a moment of panic I ended up using my metal stylus for the small details over the micro brush that was’t working at all. Not sure if that’s a technique but it’s in my tool box now! Lastly, I had to set up a machine and then figure out how to set the hardware. As much as I wanted to do this all on my own, my husband had to step in to help (& calm my nerves) when the wrong setters were delivered and I had to improvise.
Finished on time and off we went to Montana!
From a small bag each person blindly picked out their gift. I’m happy to say they were as loved by everyone as they were by me. Since I felt I knew my creations as individuals it was fun to see which human picked who.
The trip was magic. Bears, bison, coyote, pronghorns, eagle, snake, cranes, moose and more!
2. Birds, Drawings & Notes On Grief with Kellie Woodger
Week two of art group. They’re a very chatty group of ladies, all locals and I come from afar. They’re talk and I draw. But I enjoy the company. My kids think I’m cheating when I trace the outlines for my coloured pencil studies so it was good to draw this one freehand to prove a point… I’m not tracing to avoid drawing I’m tracing because the learning for me is the colouring. With this one I was impressed with myself as by tracing and colouring I’ve taught my brain to draw better by better recognising shapes and shadows. I do love birds for many reasons these days.
3. Pottery Updates with Lorna Adley
Saturday I walked into the studio and saw a glazed piece and thought, that is so beautiful… only to realize it was my pot! What a delight after every glaze firing feeling a bit “wah wah”. Ironically this was to be an experimental throw away piece.
4. Nature Journaling with Jean Pocha
Through the Creating Wild Circle prompts I have realized that what I most want to write and draw are views from hikes I take and descriptions with beautiful sentences to describe the moment. So it’s great to have that thought in place. Last night it was raining lightly as the sun set, the rain falling from what looked like nothing but mist high above. The air carried the fresh scent of warm rain….very unlike pounding freezing rains that sometimes accompany Spring and it’s too cold, I think? to leave any scent at all. Maybe the warming earth contributes to the freshness?
I’ve realized that my sketching is more like field sketching without much precision or detail, so I’m trying to incorporate a little detail, thanks to seeing all you folks amazingly detailed drawings. There’s a lot to learn about creating beautiful sentences and interesting sketches with some detail. Now to walk along that path…..
5. Blue Wrens with Mel
By working through Jane’s offerings on all platforms I’ve finally plucked up the courage to say “who cares about what others think” and pick up a pencil to draw. I have NEVER been a drawer… other crafts yes, but not drawing, because there was a very big belief pattern that I couldn’t, how dare I do something I’m not good at…
So I’ve made a commitment to tend to drawing because well… I’m shitty at it…. and when Jane suggested Shitty Birds…. this was my opportunity to dive right in, feathers, beaks and all…
Blue Wrens are my most favouritist…little birds EVER! I have a wall of other people’s arts of Blue Wrens… and now I hope to add my own to it….
Adding pictures from Week One’s attempt at my Shitty Blue Wren to 2nd attempt at Shitty Bird…. I was proud of my first effort ever last week, but this week… is there such a thing as being even prouder…..
Thank you for being here!
I’d love to hear your thoughts, what you’ve been creating and making. The world is a more beautiful place as a result of all your art.
And if you want to join us in the Creating Wild Community, you can read all about it here.
Love and inky fingers,
xx Jane
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