Drawing as a Way Back In

Between being an artist, a tutor, a curator, and running Look and Draw, there are times when I don’t get to create anything. During these stretches, I feel the impact. I become stressed, foggy, and out of sorts. Summer is one of the rare moments when the studio's pace slows down. Without constant deadlines or projects, I have more space to notice things. For me, this often means returning to drawing.

Back in the studio — making space for drawing this summer.

The Importance of Drawing

I think of drawing as a way to think on paper. It is not merely an illustration of movement but a trace of thought. It serves as a record of the looking, adjusting, and circling-around that happens when you stay with something for a while. A drawing isn’t just a picture; it’s a record of the time spent with it. The speed or slowness of a line holds a trace of the moment it was made — sometimes tentative, sometimes urgent and searching.

It’s not about rendering something “correctly.” The value lies in staying with the process — looking, responding, adjusting, and allowing for repetition, layering, and interruption. Over time, those marks become their own record of thought and attention.

Factory space re-drawn as a performance score — gesture as blueprint for action for Ghost in the Machine

Collaborating with Objects

Often, I work from objects I’ve collected — fragments, found things, and overlooked details. Sometimes they feel less like subjects and more like collaborators, nudging the drawing in unexpected directions.

Found object — red spring salvaged from disused factory.

Found objects placed as votive relics during devising workshops

The Mark Itself

Other times, the focus is simply on the mark itself: the drag of charcoal across paper, the bite of pastel, and the faint smudge left by a fingertip. Drawing isn’t merely a step towards making something else; it’s an action in its own right. It creates a rhythm and a way of reconnecting with your own way of looking.

Working large-scale, letting gesture and movement lead the drawing

Starting Small

If you’ve had a pause in your making, try starting small. Pick up something close at hand — a coin, a key, or a stone — and draw it without worrying about accuracy. Notice its edges, its shadow, and its worn-down places. Let the drawing be the record of that looking.

That’s my plan for the next few weeks: not to produce finished pieces but to give time to fragments, traces, and the act of drawing itself — as a way back in.

If you’d like to read more of my personal reflections on drawing and how they connect to recent projects, you can find them on my artist blog.

Objects, marks, and repetitions — letting the process lead.

Conclusion

Drawing is a powerful tool for expression and reflection. It allows for exploration and understanding of the world around us. By embracing the process of drawing, we can reconnect with our creativity and find joy in the act itself. Whether through the marks we make or the objects we choose, each drawing tells a story. So, take a moment to pick up a pencil and let your thoughts flow onto the page.