The Drawing Experience
I make hand drawings of my hands. Making my drawings is all about wellness and self care for me. What started off as "high school circles" turned into an art style for me that I intentionally work on. Although each hand drawing takes me at least three hours to complete, drawing the hands is only part of the process. As a serious tea lover, drinking tea has become an integral part of my drawing sessions. It calms me in every way, and lifts my mood so high my soul can touch the sun. With a pot of tea by my side, good music playing and maybe some candles added to the mix, the atmosphere is set for me to work on my art.
What began as a way to escape the dreariness of high school has evolved into something even bigger. As my teachers would ramble on and on during class, I would escape into a world of circle doodles all over the pages of my high school agenda. The circle doodles then turned into my personal art form.
To begin my drawing sessions, I must bring out my elements of calmness to set the mood. First, I brew some tea. This tea isn’t just any tea though. I’m talking about the heavenly loose leaf tea that my mother gets from a tea salon called Camellia Sinensis. This tea salon has become my favourite spot in all of downtown Montreal. Imagine sipping on the world’s finest tea while disconnecting from technology to connect with yourself and those around you. Given that there is no wifi in Camellia Sinensis, the tea salon does a very good job in promoting the idea of disconnecting to connect.
Next, I light some candles. While any candle would work, beeswax candles are my absolute favourite. They are not only good for the soul, but the environment as well - they purify the air that we breathe.
Once I have my tea and candles ready, I get my art book, markers and pens. The rest of the session involves outlining my hand on the page and circling away to my heart’s content, all while drinking at least three pots of Camellia tea.
Given that I’m not a machine, I don’t just stare at the paper for hours on end making circles. The reason these drawings take such a long time to make is because I intentionally take my time making them. I draw for a bit, then I pause. I look out the window. I take in the scent of the candles. If it is snowing (which I always hope it is), I watch as the snowflakes fall peacefully to the ground. To me, making these hand drawings is more than the actual drawing itself. It is therapeutic. It cleanses my mind and soul. Making my art is rejuvenating and I enjoy every part of the process.
In a world full of people and things calling for my attention —school, work, assignments, family, friends— making drawings is a complete escape for me. I dive into my artistic world and don’t come out for hours.
Making my hand drawings is a personal form of meditation for me. Nothing else matters to me while I’m drawing. All of my focus goes to the task at hand. In doing so, my mind is cleansed of lingering thoughts that do not serve me. Even better, I come out of these sessions with a new art piece.
Doing this lets me know that everything is going to be okay. It’s fine to take a moment to myself and forget the worries and stresses of the world. It is healthy to put all that aside and simply draw, and not only that, but to surround myself with elements of calmness.
Different things might come to your mind when you look at my drawings. While some people might see the stresses of the world trying to constantly grab at them, some might see a train of hands showing that life is a step by step process and we are always going up. No matter what you do see, you can be comforted to know that each one of these drawings was made with love.