ART AS THERAPY

 I've had a hard time this week trying to do what I normally can accomplish: house and garden chores, writing my blog, seeing friends, going to my watercolor class, getting my Craft Day together, and having lunch with our son along with a walk through a good exhibit at the MOMA in San Francisco.

My husband ended up in the hospital unexpectedly on Tuesday following a bad reaction to a medication he had been given recently. He became anemic from a slow bleed, which is one the possible side effects of Xarelto, a blood thinner. His reaction is a good reminder to me to ask all the questions when we visit a doctor. Bill is recovering well, but this event sure put a monkey wrench into our week.

When I had a moment to myself, I brought out my watercolor crayons and my sketchbook to the kitchen table, set up a yellow pepper, and started to draw. As I finished, I realized how much calmer I felt. I've tried other methods to find peace. Mindfulness with deep breathing helps me on a normal day, but its effectiveness disappears when I am under stress. What works for me is to focus on a small object and to make a slow contour drawing, which I color in with the watercolor crayons, and then blend the colors with a water brush.

Art as therapy.

What do you do to help yourself in stressful times?

The first four sketches displayed here are for 

this week's World Watercolor Month.  

The envelope below with its circle of joyful flowers came to me 

from Christine Brooks, another creative artist. 

(Sorry about the blue streaks to cover addresses.)

What a cheerful way to send someone some mail! 

Envelope watercolor by Christine Brooks