Hello, and thanks for reading my newsletter. I use this space to share some of the things I’ve observed, contemplated, and enjoyed over the past few weeks. I send these out every fortnight (ever 3 microseasons, if you want to get technical), with about 6 newsletters a season.
I’m trying a couple of new things this time, including the timelapse above, in which I’ve given a go to the ‘Visual Journals’ Helen C Stark has so kindly been walking us through on her Substack. I’ve been a bit obsessed with her journals this year, and have sometimes tried to create one to capture any seasonal highlights.
With the start of the New Year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what this might mean for me creatively, But in reality, it’s led to a bit of desk chaos, as I jump from sketchbooking, art experiments, and more intentional items for shop updates. I find it hard sometimes to connect all of these different pursuits, and find my artistic ‘style’, I suppose.
Here we are in the final stretch of winter - yes, you’ve read that right.
I’m going by the seasonal system of counting, which considers the equinox/solstice as the centre of a season, rather than the start. I’ve found this way of marking time quite rewarding, and often reflected in the world around me. Just today, I was walking along the Water of Leith and noticed all the green shoots popping out of the still-frosty soil. Even if it is still cold, there is something about this that tells me the start of spring is around the corner. It will be here before I know it, announced by the snowdrops and crocuses.
This month, I’ve been trying to draw outside a bit more - carving little bits of time before or after work. Sometimes, I’ve been too cold or pressed for time to do more than a couple strokes of the pencil. But, it’s caused me to be a bit more intentional about time spent outside, which I’ve been a bit more reluctant about lately.
I think this has helped me to find more things to be thankful for in this season. Such as:
Spotting redwings and song thrushes (and learning the difference between the two)
Watching the empty winter allotments and the occasional fox to boot.
A camera roll full of allotments Finding the first green shoots out of frosty ground
The ground in January
Music: Epidemicsound
