Drawing on the Beach: An Exercise in Relaxation

At the beginning of last summer, I made some very big life changes, all within ten days. Shortly after a very painful work experience (yearly inventory) I took a ten day vacation. Unplanned on my second to last day of work, instead of stopping at my normal nicotine hotspot I kept driving on home. I didn't bother telling my boyfriend I hadn't bought cigarettes, nor did I try smoking any of his. The next day, on my last day of work I managed to go the day without a smoke. Several days later my boyfriend says "Somehow I've managed to make this pack of cigarettes last three days" and my reply was "I quit." To this day I'm not really sure why I made the decisions I did. They just sort of came naturally, like my subconscious was telling me I was unhappy with my life and sh*t had to change.

Inspired by my fortitude cease being a chimney stack, I made multiple efforts to go out into the world and sketch what was around me. As someone who is a bit of a homebody, shy around strangers, and detests being seen in a swimsuit, it is rather hard to imagine why I would excitedly look to every date I made with friends to go to the beach. The dates still happened, my friends enjoyed my company, and tourist gawked at my awesomeness.

I have sat around outside and drawn everything from trees in parks, to people practicing karate, to quasi urban landscapes, but nothing compares to drawing on the beach. And I'm not JUST talking about enjoying the warmth of the sun, and the sound of the waves.  Drawing on the beach forces the artist to battle conditions previously un-encountered. Examples of this include everything from battling the sand that blows all over your paper that you accidentally draw over, to the fact that waves refuse to stand still for you at all. Tourist (especially where I live) like to come up and and hover behind you (something I hate) and refuse to stop talking about how great it is that there are still cultured young people out there (try just antisocial). And lets not forget that the tide demands you move your self every hour farther and farther back and if you refuse, say goodbye to those cute little sandels. Oh, and if its on the city beach, don't forget to avoid the used crack pipes and heroin needles.

Summer is coming and I can't wait. This year, the paints come out.