Drawing The World One Page At A Time
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 7:28AM 
This is a page out of an ongoing sketchbook that was done three years ago. I started keeping a sketchbook back when I was teaching an art class at a local college. I had the students doing it so I thought I should do it right along with them and I have been carying one around with me off and on ever since. I have found it to be a very helpful practice.
When you pull a little sketchbook out of your pocket and begin to draw what is before you, it helps you to connect in a deeper way with your environment. When you connect to where you are through drawing you are opening yourself up, and when you open up in this way you prepare yourself to receive and be enriched. As an example, when I was at the Breathe Owl Breathe concert last Friday night I pulled out my sketch book and began drawing the singer in the opening act. As I drew him and spent time with the shape of his head, the texture of his beard and the way he picked his Silvertone electric guitar, I began to feel a connection with him and his music in a way that I think was deeper than had I just been sitting and listening. Perhaps because drawing is a physical act - in response to what we see and where we are - that it brings your awareness to a higher level. I should say here that drawing from you imagination rather than what you see is a different approach and may have a different outcome.
My friend in NYC Danny Gregory put together a really beautiful book called An Illustrated Life that features artists from all over the world who keep various kinds of sketchbooks as visual journals of their creative journey. I am also featured in this book (along with such luminaries as Robert Crumb). And what is kind of extra cool about this book is what the artist share regarding what motivates them to keep a sketchbook. Here is a little film about the book.
Danny Gregory, Robert Crumb, connecting, drawing, sketch books 
Reader Comments (4)
Oh, I love Danny Gregory (from a distance - he doesn't know me.) What a small world that you are in one of his books and that you two are friends.
As I was reading your post I kept thinking yes, this reminds me what I learned from Danny Gregory's book "the Creative License." Ha!
I find sketching helps me as a writer too. I notice details and the magic is in the minute details of the now. Artists set up camp in bearded textures.
Thanks for reminding me! I used to journal, but am out of habit...
Breathe Owl Breathe is a favorite up here! Have you heard Seth and May yet? Or Rachel Davis? They are top notch and loads of fun!
Hi Victoria, Your welcome and yes I am hip to Seth and May and Rachel Davis. There is some great stuff coming out of northern mi these days. Rock that journal going girl.
Hey Mandy, It was really cool to get to know Danny because he was mentoring us from afar and then when our family was living in Brooklyn he was doing sketch crawls and Shepherd and I joined his group and sort of hit it off. We have done our best to keep in touch and tuned into his creative journey for inspiration.