Oh I feel so uplifted reading this...like I want to reach through the post and give you a huge hug and say ME Too! Except that I don't really travel; have stayed pretty much in my little world here in the southern part of the US and I have drawn and drawn my town both as a way to love it and also as a way to FIND what I love about it! I have drawn and still draw my kids as they grew up, my husband, our home and the little trips we make to the ocean each year. How I love your drawings Anna...they are so full of emotion, they emanate joy but are also grounded in something deep and abiding. All the best to you as you continue to love the world through image making...and I cannot imagine the world without YOU making these images for us to love the world as well, seeing it through your eyes! 💖
oooh that is such an incredibly lovely comment! And it's so incredibly nice to hear it resonated even though you are embedded in your corner of the world. I totally agree too, how much drawing can help to learn to love a place or find the magic in places we know well. It's so true. Thank you for this delightful encouragement - it means so much! And sending hugs back across the ocean xx
You have captured so much beauty and colour in our world Anna. Such a wonderful thing when our world is in such turmoil. It is just a shame more people aren’t into preserving it’s beauty rather than intent on destroying it
Thank you so much Mary! At least I think only a few people are intent on destroying it - and most just want the beauty - it's just that those few have a lot of power. I hope we can all keep finding the beauty! xxx
Beautiful writing, Anna! A traveller brings their own charm to any place. Often, it's the traveller who takes notice of the uniqueness of the place they're traveling through. Mundaneness can creep in when we're in the same place for a long time. But it's looking through the traveller's lenses that brings in that much needed freshness and perspective to the place! So travellers certainly bring that to every place they visit....
Thanks so much Rashmi for this thoughtful comment. It is hard to keep the wonder alive in places we know well - I agree - maybe that's why I'm a bit addicted to moving about. I love the thought of a traveller's gaze refreshing our vision. Thank you!
What a heartfelt and meaningful and honest post. And what shimmering images you’ve made of these splendid places. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the beautiful glimpses of these places you’ve passed through, and loved.
I love how you see the world, and I’m glad you keep creating. Sometimes we can’t figure out the ‘why’ of why we must draw and create, but isn’t it delightful to just follow that constant tug? The world needs artists like you! And I’m sorry you lost someone dear to you.
Hi Cathy, Thank you! And you're so right, it's almost impossible not to follow that tug once you start. It's so difficult but it adds such a richness to my life. Cheers to making pictures and thank you for the very lovely message! x
glad you share your love for all the places you discover through your art. You are no parasite . you are a traveller.sharing your journey .Are the migratory birds less worth than the ones who spend their life in the same woods?
And about art... It' s so necessary. if you have a gift ,share it! Your panels brought me a lot of joy today. Thank you.
oh that's a delightfully strong comment! I love the comparison with a migratory bird. You are right and it's a most lovely thought. Thank you very much.
This is a lovely tribute and read. Your illustrations are so lovely and full of presence of the people and landscape. This made my morning feel extra grounding.
What I love the most about your newsletter it's how it makes me appreciate more the beauty of my surroundings. Every time I see your sketches of Edinburgh I feel like I just want to go and draw life in bonn. It is so inspiring to see what you make out of ordinary scenes
Thank you so much! That makes me really happy - I do think the world is so very magic! We just often forget to see it. I love drawing for the way it reminds me of it xx
What a beautiful tribute to Jamie Kirkpatrick. I know I would have loved him as a person.
Ironically It's time for me to find another place to live, and Hobart is high on my list. I've even enrolled at UTAS. Why? because I've never visited or know anyone there? My pull is the environment and the climate. I'm nearly 57 and I want to finally settle somewhere and nature is my happy place. I notice the small things in life and don't need glitz or glamour.
I'd love to chat to you about Tassie.
Another option is Ballarat as my flatmate is moving there. Plus I found out recently I have a sister (I'm adopted) who lives in Melbourne.
I'm beginning my illustration career, as my dream has been to illustrate my stories.
I adore your illustrations and your wonderful substack.
Hi Rosalie and thank you for this lovely comment! Amazing that you are considering moving to Hobart. I missed it every day for a long time after I left. It is a wonderful place to live! And good luck with your illustration career - it sounds very exciting! I have no idea what the art school is like at UTAS these days but it used to be fabulous. They had a most incredible print making room! My housemate studied there and I used to visit :)
The works of people passing by in Cambridge are fantastic, especially the top piece. That'll be my desktop wallpaper for a bit, so I can keep looking at it!
Martin! Hello and I'm so sorry I missed that first comment - thank you! I really love that drawing, I think it's probably the best thing I've ever drawn :) And thank you so much as well for buying a copy!
Oh I enjoyed this post, with all your thoughts that ego's in my heart. And the beautiful places and your happy, colourful drawings! Thank you so much, it really was an inspiration to me! Blessings from South Africa.
I love your images Anna, how they seem to glow, and in places you can see through parts, like you are capturing time passing. Beautiful work, well done .
Oh you bring light into the world Anna! I love reading about your thoughts, nodding as I go at all the beauty and humanity we can see in the world if we just stop to really look and soak it in. I love the idea of panels and may have to steal that one! Would it stop me being sucked into details, or just create more? Who knows, and is that not part of the adventure? I'm so glad you found your way to sharing your art with us!
ahh yes, make some panels! They're so fun to play with and it will be interesting to see what they offer you :) And thank you for this lovely comment. Makes me so happy to hear it resonated with you x
Oh I feel so uplifted reading this...like I want to reach through the post and give you a huge hug and say ME Too! Except that I don't really travel; have stayed pretty much in my little world here in the southern part of the US and I have drawn and drawn my town both as a way to love it and also as a way to FIND what I love about it! I have drawn and still draw my kids as they grew up, my husband, our home and the little trips we make to the ocean each year. How I love your drawings Anna...they are so full of emotion, they emanate joy but are also grounded in something deep and abiding. All the best to you as you continue to love the world through image making...and I cannot imagine the world without YOU making these images for us to love the world as well, seeing it through your eyes! 💖
So true how one learns to love and also find the things one loves in a place by drawing it over again.
It really is true isn't it! We're so lucky to have drawing in our lives I think :)
oooh that is such an incredibly lovely comment! And it's so incredibly nice to hear it resonated even though you are embedded in your corner of the world. I totally agree too, how much drawing can help to learn to love a place or find the magic in places we know well. It's so true. Thank you for this delightful encouragement - it means so much! And sending hugs back across the ocean xx
I loved reading all of this, it resonated so deeply! Thanks for sharing 🩷
ahh it's so incredibly nice to know it resonated with you. So many thanks for writing to tell me - it's so very encouraging! x
You have captured so much beauty and colour in our world Anna. Such a wonderful thing when our world is in such turmoil. It is just a shame more people aren’t into preserving it’s beauty rather than intent on destroying it
Thank you so much Mary! At least I think only a few people are intent on destroying it - and most just want the beauty - it's just that those few have a lot of power. I hope we can all keep finding the beauty! xxx
Beautiful writing, Anna! A traveller brings their own charm to any place. Often, it's the traveller who takes notice of the uniqueness of the place they're traveling through. Mundaneness can creep in when we're in the same place for a long time. But it's looking through the traveller's lenses that brings in that much needed freshness and perspective to the place! So travellers certainly bring that to every place they visit....
I absolutely enjoyed reading this!
Thanks so much Rashmi for this thoughtful comment. It is hard to keep the wonder alive in places we know well - I agree - maybe that's why I'm a bit addicted to moving about. I love the thought of a traveller's gaze refreshing our vision. Thank you!
What a heartfelt and meaningful and honest post. And what shimmering images you’ve made of these splendid places. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the beautiful glimpses of these places you’ve passed through, and loved.
Thank you so much! I'm really pleased you enjoyed reading it and also the images! Made me happy. Thank you :)
I love how you see the world, and I’m glad you keep creating. Sometimes we can’t figure out the ‘why’ of why we must draw and create, but isn’t it delightful to just follow that constant tug? The world needs artists like you! And I’m sorry you lost someone dear to you.
Hi Cathy, Thank you! And you're so right, it's almost impossible not to follow that tug once you start. It's so difficult but it adds such a richness to my life. Cheers to making pictures and thank you for the very lovely message! x
glad you share your love for all the places you discover through your art. You are no parasite . you are a traveller.sharing your journey .Are the migratory birds less worth than the ones who spend their life in the same woods?
And about art... It' s so necessary. if you have a gift ,share it! Your panels brought me a lot of joy today. Thank you.
oh that's a delightfully strong comment! I love the comparison with a migratory bird. You are right and it's a most lovely thought. Thank you very much.
This is a lovely tribute and read. Your illustrations are so lovely and full of presence of the people and landscape. This made my morning feel extra grounding.
Such a lovely comment! Thank you Janet and sending wishes that your day continues well xx
What I love the most about your newsletter it's how it makes me appreciate more the beauty of my surroundings. Every time I see your sketches of Edinburgh I feel like I just want to go and draw life in bonn. It is so inspiring to see what you make out of ordinary scenes
Thank you so much! That makes me really happy - I do think the world is so very magic! We just often forget to see it. I love drawing for the way it reminds me of it xx
What a beautiful tribute to Jamie Kirkpatrick. I know I would have loved him as a person.
Ironically It's time for me to find another place to live, and Hobart is high on my list. I've even enrolled at UTAS. Why? because I've never visited or know anyone there? My pull is the environment and the climate. I'm nearly 57 and I want to finally settle somewhere and nature is my happy place. I notice the small things in life and don't need glitz or glamour.
I'd love to chat to you about Tassie.
Another option is Ballarat as my flatmate is moving there. Plus I found out recently I have a sister (I'm adopted) who lives in Melbourne.
I'm beginning my illustration career, as my dream has been to illustrate my stories.
I adore your illustrations and your wonderful substack.
Hi Rosalie and thank you for this lovely comment! Amazing that you are considering moving to Hobart. I missed it every day for a long time after I left. It is a wonderful place to live! And good luck with your illustration career - it sounds very exciting! I have no idea what the art school is like at UTAS these days but it used to be fabulous. They had a most incredible print making room! My housemate studied there and I used to visit :)
So meaningful and such beautiful photography and art! I've been to Tasmania, and I'd love to go back, it's such a stunning part of Australia.
Hi Jodie, and thank you so much! Tasmania really is treasure. I think I've missed it every day since I left. I hope you make it back again :) x
The works of people passing by in Cambridge are fantastic, especially the top piece. That'll be my desktop wallpaper for a bit, so I can keep looking at it!
One better, you made it available for sale. Now I can keep looking at it on my wall while I work! 🎉
Martin! Hello and I'm so sorry I missed that first comment - thank you! I really love that drawing, I think it's probably the best thing I've ever drawn :) And thank you so much as well for buying a copy!
Oh I enjoyed this post, with all your thoughts that ego's in my heart. And the beautiful places and your happy, colourful drawings! Thank you so much, it really was an inspiration to me! Blessings from South Africa.
I'm so delighted it resonated with you! And brought you joy down there in South Africa. Thank you! :) x
I love your images Anna, how they seem to glow, and in places you can see through parts, like you are capturing time passing. Beautiful work, well done .
Oh that's a lovely thing to read. Many many thanks! :) xx
Oh you bring light into the world Anna! I love reading about your thoughts, nodding as I go at all the beauty and humanity we can see in the world if we just stop to really look and soak it in. I love the idea of panels and may have to steal that one! Would it stop me being sucked into details, or just create more? Who knows, and is that not part of the adventure? I'm so glad you found your way to sharing your art with us!
ahh yes, make some panels! They're so fun to play with and it will be interesting to see what they offer you :) And thank you for this lovely comment. Makes me so happy to hear it resonated with you x
Really, really beautiful Anna. A tribute to Jamie and to the world. Just keep doing what you're doing please!
oh you're the best Rubyl Thanks as always for the lovely encouragement. And yay for Jamie and our beautiful world xxx