Rescue me
How everyday happenings dovetail with creativity
Welcome to Ageless Artist where you will discover anecdotes, and occasional bits of sparks and wisdom regarding my life as a working artist beyond 50 . This newsletter is for you if you identify as an ageless artist -also or if your curiosity is piqued to learn more about my journey . My hope is that the content will be relatable and that you feel free to comment and offer your own thoughts . My companion newsletter reflects on the working and business aspects of artist life.
Both newsletters are offered to you free of charge to subscribe .
There are days I wake up with a hunger for writing. I try to write in a personal journal every morning before exposing myself to the world news (and bracing myself for how I respond to it. )This personal writing sets a tone ..and often gives space for my own thoughts . It provides me with a starting point for my day. It’s for my eyes only.
There is another sort of writing that satisfies my appetite for expressing and processing thoughts and little life events that weave in and out of my days-which is here. If you too are an artist of a certain age you may also find that thoughts cascade in your head and burn to be released -often that might occur in your art expression.
Like making art , writing satisfies an itch that begs to be scratched regularly .
Through writing here at Substack , my sense of observing and experiencing the world has become more sharp - and what might have seemed like an insignificant occurrence now is saved and stored for higher consideration . It receives recognition and is suitable to rise to the level of a story -which may then tumble out of my head onto my page as art or as words. Sometimes both.
An example of this are two “rescue” stories which on the surface seem trivial and tiny -but upon further exploration have provided me with fodder for personal expression.
The pages in my comic/slice of life journals are thin and more appropriate for pencil -but I enjoy crafting comic stories in these small journals as they are just the right dimension 5x8” -soft cover ! I have photographed them “as is” so smudges and pencil shadows will be obvious!
The Pony Rescue
This occurred a couple of weeks ago as I was driving home from town.
The pony was not only observed near a small road..but close to a busy highway !
I hesitated and started to drive home -but changed my mind mid journey to turn around and try to find owners of the pony..I stopped at the nearest farm close to the the pony . After driving down a long country lane I spotted a home and a barn . There were several hens and geese wandering about and a barking dog. I suddenly heard a voice yelling “the goose bites”and turned to see a woman appear from the barn.
Even though the goose was quite aggressive and snapping at me I felt compelled to inform the woman about the sighted missing pony ! She seemed distressed when she learned that the pony was near the road as she shared he was elderly and must have wandered.
She also chastised herself for leaving the gate open!
She started running in a panic down her lane towards the road -and I offered her a drive so that she could reach the pony faster . She called me an “angel” for helping out and letting her know about the wayward pony.
She struggled to put on his harness and he escaped briefly but she was able to guide him back towards safety and their farm . The other horses looked relieved also . I drove away feeling a bit better that I had not just passed this situation by.
The (complicated) rescue of a Snapping turtle
On another day’s travel home on a local country road -I noticed a stalled huge turtle (which I carefully avoided ) in the middle of the road-. I turned around to park nearby with my flashers on to warn other cars.. It’s a busy road for gravel trucks etc and I didnt expect the turtle would survive the traffic.
When I walked over to examine the turtle up close he was unfortunately not a gentle painted turtle - but a snapping turtle and he/or she was massive! I looked in my car for something to move it along with and could sadly only find my “Ceasefire Now” cardboard sign ..I gingerly tried to get under the turtle with the edge and coax him towards the side of the road which worked for about 5 inches and then he suddenly turned his long neck and snapped at my sign grabbing the edge fiercely! My incompetence was further apparent when I released the sign and attempted once more to nudge him under his belly - then only managed to make things worse by flipping him on his back ! I heard the sound of air brakes behind me and a a large man leaped out of his truck and strolled over casually stating he had large gloves and could help out. He made the relocating of the turtle appear effortless!
I was so grateful for the help and imagine the turtle was too. So it truly was a botched rescue on my part but at least I managed to start the rescue in motion ! The turtle was in a safer spot and avoided road danger. (I was able to use the sign in a protest rally the following Saturday.)
Capturing these moments in pen and ink and pencil was a wonderful way to process small events . People often ask “What have you been up to lately?” and I believe that we typically feel obliged to offer a major event or celebration worthy milestone in response. As a person in my sixties,no longer sharing the work day stories- I nonetheless feel I live a life of worth . Noticing all the intricacies that make up our days and world helps to support the notion that life is about paying attention. I think its the little happenings that add interest to our days . As artists we just might find a way to tuck these micro happenings into our art expression.
The other day I didn’t feel like drawing anything cheery as news about the Nuseirat massacre tempered my creative spirit . Reflecting on our weekly peace rallies which have been occurring since October 2023 helped me to process this horror a little. These rallies have been small compared to large cities in the world but the dedication of our local citizens through freezing Canadian winter days has been admirable and affirming.
Art making can soothe the soul !
A couple of admired artists/writers who create comic art that reflects life:
Have you experimented in personal ,visual journaling as a way of expressing yourself ?
Personal Art News
I have posted this on Artist jetpack newsletter but just in case you missed it :
This sketchbook challenge nourished me in so many ways.. Challenges are a lovely way to keep at your making in different ways
My sketchbook tour from a weekend online project hosted by the wonderful UK artist
a couple of pages from my sketchbook..
As mentioned previously I am closing my Etsy Shop as of this weekend June 15th
and for two days only you may take advantage of my last 30% sale of all art !
I am excited about officially launching my Big Cartel website as my new online shop . Stay tuned as new art will be offered there over the next few weeks!
A new painting in progress…
Thank you kindly for reading Ageless Artist .
I love the pony rescue story, so heartwarming, and the turtle (!), and the news is so rough, all that spilled blood over nothing, it breaks my heart.
I loved the combination of prose and illustration in your rescue stories, Heather. Bravo for your taking action! I write a single-page Moleskine of personal journaling every morning and find it’s often the creative highlight of my day. So nurturing to rely on daily ritual as a home for creative process.