Art books, sketchbooks & finding small moments of joy
Despite a few tears, this is about joy. Seeking joy, in beautiful art books, in other’s wisdom, in our own wisdom, in making art and in sketchbooks.
It is about joy as a rebellious and defiant decision, when life feels a little joyless.
I don’t often talk about the fact that I’ve been ill and have/had long Covid, (I’m a natural optimist and I prefer to focus in a different direction). But, the path back to good health has felt like climbing an unscalable mountain at times. It has been a heartbreaking experience, which has undone me and unravelled me.
And yet…
I am beginning to see that it has also given me a clearer perspective, a new lens through which to look at the world. The fragility and precariousness of wellness, the difficulty, the pain, the dark night of the soul…has had a galvanising effect on me.
I have realised that joy is not an accidental fleeting feeling I wait around for, it is a decision, something to be sought and pursued. Struggle and difficulty have made me, search for, seek out and savour more joyful moments.
And in this seeking I have found them.
The act of noticing and pursing joy has been life enriching and perhaps life changing. I really pay attention to the things I find joyful. It involves both an active engagement with the world and a quiet connection with self.
When times are difficult or dark, it may sound entirely naive to speak of joy, but I believe it is in exactly these times, that we need to prioritise it, notice it, soak it up, bolster our reserve.
Joy can co-exist within difficulty. It is not about fake positivity, denying reality or pretending things are not as they are. It can be found in the noticing, in the paying attention, looking in the right direction.
I find joy in drawing in my sketchbook, in a newly sharpened pencil, in looking through an art book, in spending a little time outside, in a beautifully crafted coffee cup, in a soft comfy jumper, in a poem that knows how I feel, in thick woollen socks, in staring out of the window, in seeing a plant defiantly growing up a fence, in laughing with friends, in a big generous hug, in the taste of a juicy tangerine, in listening to a long-lost song from my childhood...
Perhaps after reading this I can encourage you to notice more tiny moments of joy for yourself today…it can be a beautiful decision and a kind practice when life feels hard.
“The goal is not just to create joy for ourselves but, to be a reservoir of joy, an oasis of peace, a pool of serenity that can ripple out to all those around you. Joy is in fact quite contagious. As is love, compassion, and generosity. So being more joyful is not just about having more fun. We’re talking about a more empathic, more empowered, even more spiritual state of mind that is totally engaged with the world.”
Books I mention in this video
Small Pleasures, By The School of Life, 2016
Exhibition Catalogues by Gillian Ayres
Exhibition Catalogue from The Redfern Gallery, Florence Hutchings, The Dressing Room 2024
Color Chart, A History by Anne Varichon, Princeton Press 2024
Bloom, Art Flowers and Emotions by Rachel Giles, Tate Publishing 2021
“Joy and happiness are often used interchangeably. However, happiness technically refers to the pleasurable feelings (emotions) that result from a situation, experience, or objects, whereas joy is a state of mind that can be found even in times of grief or uncertainty. Thus, we can work on cultivating joy independent of our circumstances. ”
