Scribbles & Squiggles
SPRING 2020
Writers
Artists
Emma Cavill who lives on a dairy farm with her husband Mark and 3 boys in the beautiful rural town of Somerset, England. I always loved art when I was little. I remember making lots of cartoon art, and I loved sketching and painting animals. At school I doodled in my exercise books constantly in lessons! My love for art tapered off at college - I had an art teacher that I didn’t gel with, and dropped the subject. I think I spent a long time trying to fill the creative hole that left. Photography was a big part of my life for a while and I loved learning all about that art, from old school film and dark rooms, and then into the digital age. Once I became a mum of little kids, I found that I was no longer able to carry around a big camera, or have the time to set up shots and be as creative as I’d like, so that too fell to the wayside. Two years ago, I found Sketchbook Skool, and rediscovered my love of sketching and painting. Now it really is part of my daily life, and I am so grateful that I found the Skool and this wonderful community to help keep me inspired and motivated! Here is a sketch from around the farm.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
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Serenity by the Sea on Galiano Island
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A gentle knock on the door. The Red Thread
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Nina Thumand
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Read your story aloud
EDITOR’S NOTE Being creative means solving a problem a new way. It means changing your perspective. Being creative means taking risks, ignoring doubts and facing fears.
Scribbles and Squiggles was created out of
A Welcome Wagon For Creatives.
my desire to find like-minded people. Allies. Mentors. Real people that one could relate to and “crack the nut” whether getting a book published, self published, or developing a new skill. Sketching and Watercolour painting. Art. People with editorial background, graphic design background, authors and aspiring writers. Creatives!
We provide a platform for new writers, artists, creatives, as a meeting place to promote and support each other.
In an age of information overload you can have all the tools and apps and technology but lack the feedback of a person, a go-to place, a resource, to expose your work. This publication is focused on creative people. 4
Welcome to the premier issue of Scribbles and Squiggles (Writers and Artists).
SQUIGGLES
writers & artists
What do you want to create?
A Sketch of a friend in water colour sitting on the beach Sometimes I look at a line and create an image I see such as a bird
Jellybean houses Quik Sketch
Serenity by the Sea on Galiano Island … space for your soul to breathe by Cindy Papso A wonderful thing happens when you arrive at Serenity by the Sea. You find yourself a world away from cities, traffic, noise and stress. Stop for a minute and listen to the silence. Breathe in the peacefulness. Allow yourself to be enveloped by the serenity of this lovely haven by the sea. Rest and relaxation … this is what you will find here. Time seems to stand still. Surrounded by natural beauty and tranquility, the stresses and pressures of daily life slip away. As your body and mind relax and slow down, you experience a sense of inner peace and stillness. There is space here to set your own pace. There are no expectations or schedules. Many visitors are surprised to find themselves enjoying the adventure of doing nothing! Only if you wish … soak in the bathtub on the cliffside, with the stars above you and the gentle chorus of a waterfall tumbling down beside you. (This is wonderful in winter too!) Watch the magic of moonlight sparkling on the sea. Enjoy the quiet sanctuary of your light-filled room, where every window is a panorama of trees, ocean, forest, and sky. If you are staying a bit longer, bring a journal or a drawing pad. Choose a book to read from the many available here. Enjoy the original artwork, and release your own creativity through a guided session on journaling, writing, or painting. Deepen your state of relaxation with a massage and Reiki treatment. Experience the wonder of the crystal singing bowls. Or … just sit and listen to the quietness. Your body is an intricate and complex system. Every cell in your body works to create a state of balance and health. Stress upsets this balance – and you begin to experience symptoms or an aggravation of a health condition. Unfortunately, we often ignore or camouflage our body’s response to stress. By creating opportunities for rest and relaxation, we initiate a process of rebalancing to a state of health and emotional well-being. Health problems can also be a sign that our bodies are asking us to slow down and reflect on our lives. Are we heading in the right direction? Are there things we need to change? Do certain aspects of our selves need expression? Once, when I was headed full steam ahead in the wrong direction, a back problem that resulted in several months of inactivity encouraged me to ask these questions about my own life. This kind of reflection was new for me, but as I began to find answers and make changes, my back problem began to heal spontaneously – even though I was told that only surgery could relieve my pain. As part of staying healthy, I now create opportunities for relaxation and reflection. As a homeopath, I encourage my patients to do so also.
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This is what is unique about Serenity by the Sea, where Shera and Chidakash have created an environment of natural beauty and tranquility that encourages relaxation, reflection, and healing. For those who wish to be more active, there is much to do on Galiano. You can enjoy a hike along Bodega Ridge, with spectacular panoramas of the western Gulf Islands. There are white shell beaches where you can swim, picnic, and walk by the sea. Watch for seals and otters, eagles and peregrine falcons. You can climb Mount Galiano, cycle along country lanes, or explore the shoreline by kayak or canoe. There are many fine artisans, galleries, and craft shops to visit. Enjoy a healthy meal at the Daystar Market Café, or purchase fresh produce and organics in their store. Galiano is glorious in spring, with wildflowers and migrating birds, and is perfect for a healthy getaway any time of the year. There is much more to say about Serenity by the Sea, so I encourage you to visit their website www.serenitybythesea.com or contact Shera and Chidakash at 1-800-944-2655 toll free, or by e-mail at serenity@gulfislands.com
A gentle knock on the door. He jumps at the sound. Feels guilty reading his horoscope, when he’s procrastinating on his three to four hundred words. More times than not, the fellow who writes for the local paper has been bang-on. It’s been giving him goosebumps. Today it says, “Be careful you might fall. You need to get grounded. The whole world seems to be giving way. A Taurus will help you out.” The sound of keys and the deadbolt releases. “Don’t turn that big light on.” Lewis says, without looking up. “Don’t touch anything”, Lewis says, as if it’s a crime scene. “Are we in a bad mood?” It’s a familiar voice, blunt, no nonsense with a bit of laughter thrown into the mix. He turns quickly and smiles, to see it’s Nicole. She’s fidgeting with her woven saddle-bag purse strapped across her chest. Pinning her hair up into its knot. She looks a little out-of-sorts, herself. “You still here?” “Wow!” “they sure got you working.” She slides open the kitchen drawer. Lays out his morning pills. “They mixed up the scheduling. So I’ve got to cover. It never rains, it pours.” A long sigh. Although she never complains. Right out of the blue he blurts out “Hey, what’s your sign? Astrology, you know. All that stuff about the stars and the moon in the right place…..” “An exhausted Taurus”, she says. Lewis smiles. “go figure”. “My readings said you’d be along.” “And you?” “A grumpy Cancer”, he says. “We’re intuitive. Oversensitive.” “Sorry I groused at you.” “No problem” she says. And she means it. She’s all heart. There’s only about a dozen years difference in their ages. Nicole can feel Lewis’ attention. It’s sometimes uncomfortable, even awkward, for her. Although they are the perfect match, according to their signs. It’s now 7:05 a.m.
“I’ll leave your 12 o’clock pill out. O.K.?” Nicole says. “I’ll mark it and leave it on the counter.” Lewis says, “Did I overhear you have a show at the gallery?” He adds, “Is it this weekend?” “I wish,” she says sarcastically. “No,no,no,no. I just have one of my pieces in the show.” “I think you should have your own show”, Lewis says. “I feel it. Your pieces are unique, one-of-a-kind. I love your work, the pieces I’ve seen, anyway.” He smiles. Blushing at the unexpected compliment, Nicole hurries out the door, leaving her keys in the drawer. A second or two later, she comes back in, smiles at Lewis and says “duh!”. “Oh, by-the-way”, Nicole says, “I’d be willing to give you a hand, organizing and putting your laundry away, after 3:00, tomorrow. If that works for you. I’m good at that sort of thing.” ….“Still working on that book?” “Don’t ask!” Lewis says. Nicole stares a hole through Lewis. Takes a deep breath in through her nose and lets it out. Gently closes her eyes and says, “To thine own self be true. Most people don’t understand an artist’s process. I know. I get it all the time. Particularly with family.” She smiles. “You’re an artist, Lewis.” Lewis glances back. “You’re right. Pisses me off when people ask me if I’m finished yet, as if I’m some widget factory.” “Screw ‘em” she says. Nods and scurries out the door. Lewis gets up and quickly shuffles to the door. Sticks his head out and watches her walk down the hall with perfect posture, as if she’s balancing books on her head.
Makiko Kitama is a classically trained painter from Sapporo, Japan. Drawing from a very early age she can remember picking up pencil, crayon, or paintbrush to capture images from her imagination and the surrounding countryside In 1999, Makiko moved from Japan to Vancouver, British Columbia. In 2006, Gibsons, BC on the beautiful Sunshine Coast became her home. Makiko has painted many different subjects over the years. Since she has been an animal lover her entire life, she is attracted to paint more companion animals such as dogs, cats, and other animals. Makiko works on a commission basis. Portrait painting of "What You Love" captures not only the likeness, but also personality, story and emotions. 8
I saw this van when I stepped out of the Gibsons library...
“KNOWING WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO SAY IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT, BUT KNOWING WHAT YOU’VE ACTUALLY SAID IS CRUCIAL” ~ Verlyn Klinkenborg It’s tough to see your story from the point of view of a reader.
READ YOUR STORY ALOUD
You’re familiar with all of the edits, all of the revisions, all of the thinking that led to the current draft. Still, distance yourself from these decisions and approach the story as a reader. One way to do this is to read your piece aloud to yourself. How does it feel? Does it read smoothly? Note any areas where the wording may be awkward. Note any areas where you might want to further flesh things out. Note any areas that could be structured differently. Read the story aloud. Make changes. Read the story aloud again. You’ll notice areas where your writing flows and where it clashes. Your story will improve. It will become clearer, the structure will improve, and new ideas will surface.
Discuss your story with a peer After you’ve taken a first pass reading the story aloud to yourself and making improvements, share it with a peer. Find someone whose opinion you trust, who you know would give you honest feedback. They may be a writer themselves, in which case you can offer this support to them as well when they are working on a story. This is a powerful creative collaboration. You will support each other in the practice of writing. After they read the piece, don’t ask immediately what should change or what should improve. Ask instead: “What was the piece about? What did you receive from it?” As the author, you are familiar with what you’re trying to convey. When you have a peer read the piece, you become aware of what is actually received. As they share what they’ve heard, resist the temptation to correct their interpretation or offer further information. Resist the urge to point to particular parts of the piece. When your story is read, you will not be there to direct the attention of the reader. Your words will have to do this alone. Compare what they notice with what you’re actually trying to convey. You will find areas that will need further emphasis or other areas that muddled the idea for the reader. You will receive specific insights to help the story’s clarity, structure, originality, and value for the reader. Don’t ask immediately what should change or what should improve. Ask instead: “What was the piece about? What did you receive from it?”
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Put these exercises into practice These exercises will improve the quality of your stories and make them more valuable for readers. If your stories are usually curated and you notice your recent ones have not been, consider these exercises as a means to boost the quality of your stories and make them more likely to be curated.
NINA THUMAND I started my creative journey as a child spending my free time drawing my pets - bunnies, dogs, and even a duck. It was like an urban farm in the big city. Inspiration was all around me. My dream was to have a horse and goats to add to the menagerie. I now enjoy taking classes in person, although I take a lot of on line classes as well. My preference is in a class setting or getting together with friends, where I get inspiration from others. My work allows me to explore creative expression even if it’s facilitating a painting group. I learn so much just observing others, motivating me to create at home. I have a craft studio which is rather chaotic to the average eye. Given my interest in mixed media I have a crazy amount of art supplies but I my favourite materials are always within reach. This quirky goat was made for a special friend as a thank you card.
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