This month’s drawing is brought to you by winter in California. Winter is a difficult time for me, as it is for many with chronic illness. My chronic migraines get worse in rainy weather, and the dark, short days don’t help the situation. By the time February rolls around, I’m longing for my summertime life, which feels like freedom in comparison. (NOTE TO SNOOPING DISABILITY CASE MANAGERS: I still get plenty of migraines in the summer.)
During the winter, my world feels so small. My goals shrink down to the size of my house. My mind can’t stretch beyond the borders of my couch. It’s easy to fall into despair when everyone else is busy with their lives and you’re sick in bed because of a few drops of rain.
During these harder days, I am most comforted by those who are willing to step away from their busy schedules and come into my cave. Though they can’t get me out of it, they can sit next to me on the hard, cold rocks until both our butts are numb. They are not fixing as much as witnessing, not talking as much as listening.
These sorts of friendships get me through even the longest winters.
BONUS: Process Shots
I only took up drawing a couple years ago, and I’m still not very good because I don’t practice. I think my “skills” have plateaued. Take the development of this drawing as an example. I started off with trying to draw a regular person:
But I didn’t like how she looked, especially her boobs. I guess I could just draw men and/or chestless women, but instead I pivoted to these strange creatures:
I think they’re cute! Kinda like Gumby stick people? But then I figured that the facial expressions aren’t actually necessary to communicate the emotions present in the drawing—body language goes a long way. So that’s when I tried the faceless people that look like posable wood mannequins…
I shaded the arms and legs as I was trying different angles, etc, but I took the shading out in the final drawing because my husband said it made the appendages look like swastikas? I also spent some time reworking the rocks so that they looked less like giant pieces of popcorn.
Thanks for reading, friends! And remember, if someone you know is having a hard time, go sit your butt next to theirs, even if this requires the removal of boulders/giant pieces of popcorn.
<3 Natalie
Love this. Reminds me of being stuck under a million balled-up versions of my writing that I didn't like.
I mean, I could go for giant popcorn.
I love the progression of your drawings and your excuses for each version lol.