BUFFALO, N.Y. — There is a lot of talk about slowing down and mindfulness, and summertime is the time where we naturally chill out a little bit.
The dedication for 'Drawing is for Everyone: Simple lessons to make your creative practice a daily habit' reads in part: "this book is dedicated to anyone who has ever desired to make drawing a part of their life but is too afraid to fail."
"One of my favorite things to say to people is how good do we have to be at something to enjoy it and to benefit from it?" said Kateri Ewing, the author of Drawing is for Everyone.
Roycroft Art Center artist in resident, teacher and Western New Yorker Kateri Ewing is the creative mind behind this mindful approach to creativity. The book is the second in a series and she hopes it will encourage people to uncover the joy she now awaits when pen or paint or pencil meet paper.
"I call it fold joy. So when we sit down to make these little paintings or drawings, we get joy ourselves, which makes us a happier person and better able to go through our day and in a good way," said Ewing. "Then we can make two of them or even one and we can share it with someone else. I have a little stash and my bag of little things that I've made. If I'm going through the drive thru at Tim Hortons, and the girl seems like she's having a rough time I kind of pass it through the window and say have a great day. They're just little paintings, but they make people smile."
Beautifully arranged, the book itself is a work of art. It's set to be released on July 20 and will be available pretty much everywhere but here's a little inside tip. If you want a signed copy, check out The Bookworm in East Aurora.
You can explore all kinds of art in the book. Kateri has included work by her own students who are also beginners so you can really see what's possible.