A still mind doesn’t always mean a still body

 

 

Some of the quietest and most fulfilling moments of my life happen when I am alone, making art. In whatever space my making takes place, my mind inevitably shifts to a more conscious state. During my practice, as a visual artist, I take notice to torrents of self-doubt accompanied by great glimpses of graceful clarity. In this way, my visual art practice leads itself into a form of meditation.

 

While I don’t consider my entire artistic process a meditation, there are times when I purposefully come to art with the intention to meditate. When I do this, I use various methods to focus my energy in order to better understand my experiences and to release any creative tension I may be holding on to. Below, I’ve compiled three of my favourite methods for you to try at home. You do not have to be an artist or know how to draw to use art as a form of meditation. Phew!

 

I encourage you to try one, or all three of these exercises throughout the week. You will require some paper and a drawing utensil—and that’s it! Your materials do not have to be anything unique, or particularly artsy. No trip to an art store is required. An HB pencil or ballpoint pen are both perfectly suitable to begin. Sometimes I find it easier to pare down my materials to one, maybe two mediums during a session.

 

 

A note on materials: I like to use India ink with a brush or pen as well as various markers I have around the house. In the accompanying photographs, I’ve used a large pad of bond paper, which can be purchased at an art store for around $3. 

Art Exercises

 

  1. Contour drawing. 1-30 minutes. Contour is a French word meaning outline. This drawing method asks the artist to focus on line, removing light and shadow. I love contour drawings as they can be a quick and effective way to focus attention. You can draw for 1 minute or thirty. For this method, choose a convenient object, your non-dominant hand is ideal. The purpose of this drawing is to have your eyes visually “trace” the object you’re looking at, while, simultaneously drawing exactly what your eye traces. That slight skin fold? Draw it. The shape of that mole? Draw it. Contour drawings look like wobbly connect-the-dots. If you want a challenge, try blind contour drawing by not looking at your paper, and keeping all focus on the object.

 

2. Timed drawing. 10-30 minutes. This is a common warm-up exercise used by artists before a still-life session. It’s a timed exercise that pairs perfectly with a meditation timer. For this exercise, you will be drawing three to five drawings, depending on the time you can commit. Find an object of interest from around the house. A plant, a cup, a flower, and a piece of fruit are all great options. You will draw this object up to five times. Set the timer for one-minute and begin drawing your object. (Follow the directions for a contour drawing if you’re new to drawing.) When the timer ends, stop drawing.

For your second drawing add one minute to the timer so you will be drawing for two minutes. Continue in this way until you have completed up to five drawings. Alternatively, you can add two-minutes to each drawing. The challenge for the exercise is to continually draw, that is do not stop drawing for the duration of the time.

This practice pushes you to see new things. I chose to draw a dried up rose. The texture of the flower gave me plenty to look at and in turn draw. As I progress through this method I find my looking and drawing slows down. I see things I didn’t see in the previous drawings. This method can be completed in as little as 10 minutes. 

 

 

3. 108 Drawings. 2-4 hours. Whenever I have been stuck and feel completely uninspired, I make 108 drawings. Yes, 108 drawings, ALL AT ONCE. I chose this number as it is sacred in many traditions. It represents a cycle of wholeness and transformation. Of all the exercises I’ve presented, this one is the most time-consuming. Forgo a night of binge-watching Netflix to dive deep into your visual vocabulary.

I like to draw on flash cards for this exercise. They are small, sturdy and cheap. Music is great company for this method, as it will take you anywhere from 2-4 hours to complete. Set yourself up, give yourself standing breaks. You do not have to work on one drawing at a time, I like to have about ten going at once, responding to the various compositions with complimentary marks. You do want to aim to finish all 108 drawing in one session! 

 

 

Using art as meditation is a process, it isn’t dependent on the outcome. Let me say that one more time; your end goal is not creating a piece of art. It’s moving through the process of making. I’m giving you permission to burn, tear up and/or recycle anything that you make. The work is in the doing. These methods have moved mountains of stagnant and heavy energy inside of me. I look forward to hearing how they work for you. 

 

If you are interested in learning more mindfulness practices using visual art, join Sara Moncrieff and I at 889 on September 30th for the workshop Art & Meditation: Overcoming Self-Doubt. Non-artists are encouraged to attend!

 

Peace, you artsy souls. 

889 Guest Happiness Team