6 Artists&Illustrators
CHILD’SPLAY
I’mwritingthisasmydaughterDais
sleeps.It’squiteaptbecausethis
drawingwasalsocompletedwhilst
Daisywassleeping.Drawingused
tobea hugepartofmylifewhenI
wasyounger.UntilDaisycame
along,I’dforgottenthesimplejoy
yougetfrompickingupa pencil
andmakingmarksonpaper.Inan
eraofsocialmediaanddigital
screens,especiallyin myjobin
advertising,it offersescapism.
Thisparticulardrawingonly
happenedbecausemydaughter
wasdrawingandnowasksmetod g
outasa simplesketchturnedintosomethingmoreandsparkeda
renewedinterestin art.Thispicturerepresentsthestartofa new
adventureforDaisyandme.
Yourmagazinehasalsohelpedmetostartlookingatnewtechniques
andimprovefurther.Longmayit continue!
SeanCullen,viaemailLETTER OF THE MONTHSNAP HAPPY
I’m a regular reader of Artists &
Illustrators and, although I am not
able to draw or paint fi guratively,
I do enjoy abstract work including
photography. So, I was very
interested to read the email from
Carol Preston [Letters, Issue 415].
I also use photos I’ve taken of all
kinds of things, and I layer and
blend them in an app called
Procreate. I can digitally paint on
the layers with brushes I can create
myself. This digital process is
inspiring me to explore real paint
and brushes – probably the wrong
way around to approach things!
I’m semi-retired and I am
loving this creative process –
and your magazine. Thank you for
publishing Carol’s email. It’s good
to know of other, like-minded
photographic artists.
Sharon Eynon, via Facebook
We’re glad you are enjoying your
creative journey, Sharon. The beauty
of art is that there is no right or
wrong way to approach things. We’d
love to hear from other readers who
Letters
Sendyourletteroremail
totheaddressesbelow:POST:
YourLetters,
Artists& Illustrators,
TheChelseaMagazine
CompanyLtd.,
JubileeHouse,
2 JubileePlace,
LondonSW33TQEMAIL:info@artists
andillustrators.co.ukThewriterofour‘letter
ofthemonth’willreceive
a £50giftvoucherfrom
GreatArt,whichoffers
theUK’slargestrangeof
artmaterialswithmore
than50,000artsupplies
andregulardiscounts
andpromotions.
http://www.greatart.co.ukdevastatingandroadahead
toobleaktocontemplate.
Likemanyothersbeforeme,
I begantopaintagainhaving
packedawaymybrushes
20 yearsago.
InitiallyI wentbackto
watercoloursandtriedmyluck
withacrylics.RecentlyI looked
backatmypaintingsfroma
yearagoandnoticedhowmuch
imeandarthadinfluenced
mywellbeing.Onepainting,
ementia[belowright],was
adesoonafterthenews.
s bleak,lonelyandempty,
ll ofdarkseas,mountains
d isolation.I didn’trealiseat
thetimehowmucheverythinghad
affectedme,andI hadn’tsetout
topaintaboutdementiaorfeel
sorryformyself.
A yearlater,thingshavechanged
somuch.I paintjustaboutevery
dayandnowwholeheartedly
embracethemagicandpowerof
colourdreamsandfamily.I read
andlearnsomucheverymonthand
getsomuchinspiration.Thankyou
forthebestmedicineever.
SoniaCracknell,viaemailShareyourthoughtsandgeta dailydose
ofArtists& Illustratorstips,adviceand
inspirationbyfollowingusonoursocial
mediachannels...@AandImagazine ArtistsAndIllustrators
AandImagazine AandImagazineare creating artworks in new and
different ways and media.FOCUS ON CREATION
As a mental health practitioner with
a particular interest in the
therapeutic use of the arts, I fi nd
your magazine to be compulsive
reading. However, I wish that more
attention could be given by your
contributors to the benefi ts they
experience as a result of the
process of art creation rather than
simply focussing on the outcome of
this process.
Elaine Argyle, via emailThanks for your email, Elaine.
Would other readers be interested
in more artists talking about mental
health and the therapeutic benefi ts
of the creative process?BRIGHTER DAYS
I love reading the letters about
creativity being rediscovered and
the joy it brings to the artist, which
can’t ever be understated. When
my husband was diagnosed with
dementia, the consequences wereWrite us!
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