Happy New Year! I'm not sure about your neck of the woods, but here in Northeast Wisconsin, it's 11 degrees and a light snow is falling. Perfect weather to grab some paper and a pencil, make some marks, and ease into 2026. Before Christmas, I collaged, painted, and customized the covers of two sketchbooks. Why two? Do I really think I'll draw that much?! Well, I hope so, but I actually like two kinds of paper. One I prefer for pencil (or pen) sketches, and the other for more mixed media stuff (markers, watercolor pencils, and water-soluble crayons). So here I am on the first day of 2026, still in my PJs, on my second cup of tea, drawing a still life from some everyday kitchen items.
What I love about drawing still life is that I can really clear my head and just focus on making a line look a certain way. If it's not right, I try again... and in that focus of trying and line-making, I easily get into "being in the moment." All the other worries my mind constantly shuffles to bring to my attention seem to pause. In that pause, I can breathe, helping my mind and myself slow down and find rest. It's almost like meditation. Afterward, I find myself able to focus better on whatever, and I just feel good.
I'm thinking about some sketching trips to draw in public later this year. The Milwaukee Domes in Milwaukee and the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh are probably my first stops in 2026.
Tell me what you're drawing!