“Craft is the sum of time, mistakes and experience. Each piece is a story, representing a personal journey."
This is the final part of Lee's very personal journey over 25 years in pain... and his very creative and mindful approach to crafting a good life. In this fascinating second Blog he describes the importance to him, of his work as a craftsman....and we get to see how he transforms a block of wood into this Bulldog ! ( see below). NB: I am sure many of us can identify with his negative experiences with art teachers!
I have a long history coming up 25 years in pain. Creativity helps me keep calm and process difficult times- a kind of mindfulness while I am doing Art. When I was younger I was just a natural 'drawer' and painter, so as the injuries I sustained means I cannot work any more, I turned to my old hobbies: drawing and painting, and carving. Leather work is relatively new to me, but I grasped it quite quickly and it seems natural to me to do this.
I have a long history coming up 25 years in pain. Creativity helps me keep calm and process difficult times- a kind of mindfulness while I am doing Art. When I was younger I was just a natural 'drawer' and painter, so as the injuries I sustained means I cannot work any more, I turned to my old hobbies: drawing and painting, and carving. Leather work is relatively new to me, but I grasped it quite quickly and it seems natural to me to do this.
I draw, paint, do leather work and wood carve. I sort of use it all as a meditation to take my mind away from it all.It is good to distract your mind away from pain, that is why I believe everyone should have a hobby or try some sort of craft that they can manage whether sewing, art, or something else. I hate daytime tv-in my home it never goes on!
People who say they cannot draw usually got demoralised at school by the art teacher- being told this or that was wrong. I remember my old art teacher running me down,( when I just think he was jealous because i could draw better than him. LOL!)
"I think anybody can draw."
Art is an individual thing and there is no wrong or right about it, it’s just what people think. As long as you're happy doing it, then carry on. . What gets a picture to come alive, is the shading-learning to shade from light to dark and the reverse. It's the same with paint- whatever the colour, just mix it to make it lighter or darker, or try drawing your own mandalas, then colouring them.
I really love carving, as it can be a bit technical, and you have to think a bit about how you're going to carve an object whether 3D, relief carve, or chip carve a pattern, and as I have always worked In a technical environment (where you have to think about what you're doing, and work with your hands), this has become natural to me.
As I have lower back and pelvis problems, I make sure I am as comfortable as possible, while doing my art work, I tend to use a kneeling stool, and I have an old Technical drawing table, all set to the right height, so I don't put too much strain on my back. As my eldest moved out years ago, I turned his old bedroom into my art studio, where I am able to just leave everything out, and come back at it at a later date.
I use mainly beech, sycamore,and other types of wood, but mainly Lime, as this type of wood is close grain and easy to carve. You can see the images (above) of the bulldog project. I chose a block of lime wood, to the size of requirements I need. I started by drawing the front elevation, then the 2 sides and top elevation, then I roughly carved the piece into shape and kept drawing in pieces as I carved. After this stage I started fine carving it into a more detailed level. Then it's a case of going through different grades of sandpaper to get a smoother finish.
After this, I sometimes carve in really fine detail, depending on what it is I'm working on. Then I finish with Danish oil, or teak oil. Sometimes ( see the Bulldog below), I will paint the carving using acrylics, then protect with clear varnish.
My art room is my safe happy, and relaxing place, and also my quiet room , where i can distract myself from my constant pain- as and when I can manage it. It is where I can just be me.
I love all this type of stuff, where you start from nothing, and turn it into something. It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to have achieved something, and to see the end results - no matter how long it has taken me. I give them away as presents to friends and family, who seem to appreciate things I have made more than if I just bought something from a shop.
My leather work is similar. I am making a pair of leather gloves to use for my wheelchair. I started off by drawing round my hand and folding the piece of paper in half then draw it again so I got a mirror image, then marked out a thumb hole . I then cut out the paper, and fitted it around my hand to see how well it fits . I made a few adjustments to it and redrew it. I may have to do this a few times till I'm happy with it then will make a final draft on paper before I transfer it onto leather . The image below is my final draft of the gloves.
I still use drugs to control most of my pain but then use alternative methods like distraction and gentle exercise as and when I can, like art, wood carving, leather work, swimming, and doing my family tree, and I also use a Tens machine, meditation (mindfulness) and visualization.
So, yes, the mindfulness has had a great impact on my life , my mood has lifted and by talking instead of bottling things up has created better relationships. Mindfulness makes you realise its the small things that happen in your life that you appreciate. Spending quality time with those you love, and cherish ( my family.) When you're down and in pain, enjoy those loving 'blips' of memory, as you reminisce about the good times.
Mindfulness impacts my mood. It is about taking opportunities to see things as if it was for the first time. It is having the patience to allow time to see what is happening. There is no goal other than to be yourself, and to see everyone in a non judging way.When we can let go of the past and the future, we can acknowledge that's how things are.
When we put aside the tendency to prolong or avoid certain aspects of the experience, and to treat ourselves and our uncontrolled lapses with kindness, we can remain hopeful that change will come.
I have noticed that as more time passes practicing mindfulness, that i get more bright spots than I do low spots, during my day. The activities I do, like wood carving, leather work, drawing/painting etc, is the real me. it helps to concentrate on doing something which brings me happiness, and also an inner calmness,(which sometimes passes to others with the unique gifts I make.) It is a diversion from thinking about the physical pain I am in constantly, and do this whenever I am able.
My advice: Even If you are in constant pain at varying levels, stop beating yourself up over it all, and trying to blame others for your misfortune- those things will drag you into a horrible hole, and if not dealt with properly, a build up of frustrations will get pushed deep inside. One day you find yourself that life has crept up on you and taken a big bite out of you, as you wonder what the hell has just happened.
You only live once:enjoy it as best you can, to the fullest you are able to, and be happy in what makes you happy and you enjoy doing. Have lovely people around you, who you feel safe with and can trust fully. Keep your mind active as best you can and live moment by moment, year by year. When you find the real you and are true to yourself, and you stop beating yourself up and blaming every one else, you will find that the world is actually a wonderful thing to explore.
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| Look it's the Chronic Elephant....and her tortoise friend! |
I think I have finished my story, and hope you find it helpful for your own experiences This is what and how CBT and mindfulness and creativity have worked for me.
Thank you so much to Lee for 2 really great Blogs.
Check out Part 1 if you missed it:LEE- LEARNING TO CRAFT A GOOD LIFE WITH CHRONIC PAIN
...and if you would like to read about my journey as an artist check out:HISTORY OF ELEPHANT ART PART 1
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