Continuing here, very happily

Posted byBenPosted inLife

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Drawing, A Vast Oak, in charcoal.  (For Maria, and her breakfast in Atlanta.)

Right, phew, thanks for listening yesterday! I’ve decided to continue posting here, on this blog, rather than starting a new one. Thanks to all of you who commented on yesterday’s post, that helped me enormously. I had to write it out to work it out, and your feedback was very important.

Part of my doubt concerned whether the addition of drawings, and photos of wanderings around Madrid etc wasn’t what people had come to expect here, so perhaps I should start afresh, but you have kindly helped me see that isn’t the case. No need to move!

This marks a happy change. In the past, at the hint of a thought of a very slight change in creative output, I would have immediately spent days fretting over what to call the next project, checking domain names to see what was available, then designing another blog layout etc etc… as usual, exhausting! Always having to be extreme! Losing time to create!

How many times I have to learn the same lesson, I already have exactly what I need!

So, I’m going to continue to post more drawings and photographs here, and to write about this wonderful life, and without doubt indulge my fascination with trees:

Trees! Hands outstretched in ecstasy towards the sky in endless gratitude!

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Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you again. Onwards with Being Happiness!

16 thoughts on “Continuing here, very happily”

  2. Trees: Karl Ove Knausgaard’s monumental 6 volume set of auto-novels -MY STRUGGLE – has perhaps the best descriptions of trees ever written, especially Novel #4 when he works/lives in northern Norway. Over and over again trees and light are a part of these novels.

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    Hi Ben! Thank you for the oak tree! I also have a fascination for trees and it all started when I was doing my Erasmus year in Leeds, England (I am Portuguese). Despite the grey weather sometimes, I loved to look out the window and see the majesty of the trees reaching out to the sky. There’s something about them, specially when they have lost all their leaves and show their “skeleton”, that makes me feel so humble and grateful for being surrounded by such beauty. They show their true essence, right? Inspired by you and your drawings I set on a walk through my neighborhood on Christmas Day to take pictures of naked trees. Maybe some day I will be able to sketch them as you do. I think I remember you posting something about how you were starting to learn how to draw. Do you recommend any blog/ book to give me some hints?
    Here’s one more picture to inspire me…
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    Keep seeking your inner peace and sharing your findings and creations. You are an inspiration to all of us.

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    1. Dear Maria, Yes, the trees in their skeletal winter form are so amazing. I realised a couple of years ago how much I loved winter because of that. I feel I really want to make the most of them before they become clothed in leaves again in spring, hiding away that delicate structure again.

      The book I used to learn how to draw was “The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards. It really works. I also love “The Zen of Seeing: Seeing Drawing as Meditation” by Frederick Franck, a wonderful book. As for blogs, there are millions! I used to enjoy http://www.urbansketchers.org/ a lot, but got overwhelmed by all the different styles!

      The best thing is just to draw and draw, things you love, from reality and from the imagination, and not be too self-judgemental! But I know nothing! I’m just re-learning too!

      I’m afraid the images you posted didn’t come out in the comment, I’d have loved to have seen them.

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  4. Your writing and art are so inspirational. You remind me of the service that art provides us. It brings joy and stimulation. I especially like getting your emails just as I am doing some creative work myself, writing, drawing. It let’s me know that it is okay to do so. Yes, Ben, please keep them coming.

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    1. Thank you Jose, I will. I know what you mean about other people’s creativity letting us know that it’s OK to do so as well. Whenever I spend time with people who are creative, artists for example, or committed sketchers, I feel so much more inspired to do more myself. One of my sisters and her partners are artists, and whenever I visit them I have a surge of creative activity afterwards.

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  5. I especially like stripped deciduous trees in Winter. Also the sounds of wind rippling thru trees. Then in Spring the flowering process. Purple Leaf Plum is a lovely pink blossom. Some filmmakers share our fondness. You have hit on something, it is quite simple, but we tend to over think it. I prefer to think a lot about less and less.

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    1. Hi Patrick, yes, there is a purple leaf plum in our neighbourhood, several in fact, but one spectacular one in particular that I love to visit regularly in spring. It is a shame to lose the trees in their naked form, but the flowering process as you say is also so extraordinary!

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  7. I only discovered your blog from the link on notes in spanish – I was ready to do my first homework assignment, but obviously I’m a bit late. I’m really glad I discovered this though, I like the way you think, and it makes a lot more sense now why I’m always so eager to listen to your Spanish-lesson podcasts even though there’s plenty others out there.

    Anyway, your blog has made a new fan. I like your pictures but even more than that, the thoughts behind them. Thanks for sharing, I’ll be back often. Also, thinking your Spanish-lesson forums were still open, I recorded a Vlog for you and Marina. I figured I’d share it with you anyway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBrPo-jcbpA

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    1. Hi Benton,

      Thanks for the comment, and thanks for the great video! Your Spanish is already very good!

      Un saludo desde Madrid!

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  8. Dear Ben,today I got a new post from the
    Tasmanian Geographic 40 in which one segment talks about drawing the forest. Interesting for you, I think.
    Barbara

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