My Journey
My First Doodle
My first doodle, the vision board displayed in My Process, drawn in 2021, was inspired by my father’s own whimsical
‘doodles’.
He is now 92 years old. While he has always lived in
the South of France, I have lived there only
intermittently, before finally settling in Australia 30
years ago.
We sometimes correspond by phone but his
preferred means is via written letter and doodle-art.
The doodles my father still draws on stiff 11” X 20’
Bristol paper have been his way of sharing with me
moments of his day-to-day, his current thoughts on
world events and the commemoration of festive
moments that linked us to one another.
It is on the back of these Bristols that he write his
letters.
This doodle is about the current housing crisis and the spiking rate of unemployment in France.
1969 - Guatemala City
First play with pastels - imagining how I might look at … 90 years of age. OK, Yes, it was fun, but one attempt is enough. OK... done with pastels! Done with art!1993 - Paris, France
Deeper dive into the smelly World of Oils and Turpentine resumed.
And, once again…done with art!
In hindsight, it is in these paintings that is
rooted the current
intertwined/interconnected trademark of
my current ‘crazee doodles’.
1997 - Brisbane, Australia
Another return to art for ‘Fun sake’ with another oil doodle that, for reasons best known to me, I called ‘Units’.
Oh! Fun it was … but this time, definitely…done with art!
2021 - Brisbane, Australia
And, finally, at the age of 68, spending many afternoons on my mother’s balcony to keep her company and encouraging her, despite encroaching Alzheimer’s, to get out-of-her-head by colouring, my own pencils came to life.
This one is about my acquisition of a campervan and the
planned happy moments by the sea.
A few weeks after the completion of my vision board, my current style emerged through Mon
Lion. I discovered the ‘secret potential’ of basic colouring pencils!
My ‘Artist’s Journey’
The unpredictability of my first ‘crazee doodle’ with its unplanned shapes and the interconnection of every motif which already then seemed essential, must have stemmed from my personal conviction that we, humans, are interconnected to all that is on planet Earth and All is connected back to us. Later, my doodles became more figurative. I liked to think that they were my reminders to celebrate my inner-outer imperfections as well as my aspirations and intentions; and that the erased, reshaped or reinforced lines unconsciously symbolised the path of self- evolution through my inherent challenges. Weird Shapes That Emerge The most surprising aspect of what, early on, I called my ‘crazee doodles’ are the fantastical creatures and surreal landscapes that emerge spontaneously beneath the strokes my pencil. Each unpredictable shape illustrates the unpredictable nature of what is always present in any of the under layers of any particular moment. Unforeseen and eccentric forms materialize through the dynamic interplay of paper, pencil and eraser. They reveal a whimsical dance between spontaneity and realisation. Intention, at that point, is no longer relevant. I see this process as a metaphor for dealing with the unpredictable nature of my life’s moments - be they good, bad, indifferent, scary, or healing - as they successively pop up underfoot.My Own Inspiration
By now, in 2023, my doodles have evolved in their own ways. Once an idea for a new doodle pops up, I assemble two or three items [object/photos] that support the intended theme. I am deliberate in the shaping of these elements but once that is done, I let my favourite 2B pencil and eraser form and re-work a flurry of other possibilities. I am always curious about the inner whorls, dips and lines that may reveal themselves. I am always on the lookout for the emergence of potential heart shapes and butterflies and birds. Regardless of their often whimsical shapes, they remind of me the need for love, gratitude, hope and trust. ‘Two Sphinxes’ [which began with a photo of my little dog, Oscar, and that of an Egyptian sphynx] ended up including a camel and references to the destruction of Gaza. An ailing Tree of Life and a few struggling white doves, symbolise the prospect of an unlikely peace, at least as things stand in December 2023. More Realistic Doodles Even when the central figures of my drawings are planned and fairly realistic such as in the drawings entitled Magdalena, Ste Therese de Lisieux, St Hugh and his Swan, Little Men big Fires and Boadicea, quirky, whimsical details are always quick to weave themselves through the lines of otherwise serious intentions. As colours and strange shapes emerge through various layers, I imagine them as encoded echoes of emotions that lie below the surface. Some of these shapes can appear scary. Some are cute and quirky. Others are downright weird. Prehistoric looking at times, too. As the outline of each drawing shows up more clearly with each stroke, I discover little aha moments for myself and I quite accept that the way my creativity is expressing itself is through an endless connection to my inner-self. So, as the pencil sculpts and the eraser dances, it's never about finishing a doodle; it's always about celebrating the interplay of the soul-based intuition and personality that makes us uniquely human. Having said that, 30 ‘crazee doodles’ later at the time of writing, my favourite 2B pencil is now too little to sharpen further. Never mind. It has reached the perfect size to retire from drawing … but it can be re-purposed as one of my sentimental pieces of ear plug jewellery :-) And, I’ve already begun doodling with a new pencil …
My ‘Artist’s Journey’
For now, until my ‘Artist Career’ really takes off, I’ll share my ‘Artist’s Journey’ through what some say are soul-inspired doodles. The unpredictability of my first ‘crazee doodle’ with its unplanned shapes and the interconnection of every motif which already then seemed essential, must have stemmed from my personal conviction that we, humans, are interconnected to all that is on planet Earth and All is connected back to us.1969 - Guatemala City
16 Year old me – my maiden voyage into the smelly/messy World of Oils and Turpentine and art for ‘Fun sake’.
This doodle is about my 92-year-old
father doing his best to accept the
limitations of ageing [symbolised by
the slow-moving snails at his feet]
while the locals are having fun at the
beach to which he walks every day.
1969 - Guatemala City
First play with pastels - imagining how I might look at … 90 years of age. OK, Yes, it was fun, but one attempt is enough. OK... done with pastels! Done with art!
1993 - Paris, France
Deeper dive into the smelly World of Oils and Turpentine resumed.
And, once again…done with art!
In hindsight, it is in these paintings that is rooted the current
intertwined/interconnected trademark of my current ‘crazee
doodles’.
My First Doodle
My first doodle, the vision board displayed in My Process, drawn
in 2021, was inspired by my father’s own whimsical ‘doodles’.
He is now 92 years old. While he has always lived in the South of
France, I have lived there only intermittently, before finally
settling in Australia 30 years ago.
We sometimes correspond by phone but his preferred means is
via written letter and doodle-art.
The doodles my father still draws on stiff 11” X 20’ Bristol paper
have been his way of sharing with me moments of his day-to-
day, his current thoughts on world events and the
commemoration of festive moments that linked us to one
another.
It is on the back of these Bristols that he write his letters.
This doodle is about the current housing crisis and the spiking
rate of unemployment in France.
1997 - Brisbane, Australia
Another return to art for ‘Fun sake’ with another oil doodle that, for reasons best known to me, I called ‘Units’.
Oh! Fun it was … but this
time, definitely…done with
art!
2021 - Brisbane, Australia
And, finally, at the age of 68, spending many afternoons on my mother’s balcony to keep her company and encouraging her, despite encroaching Alzheimer’s, to get out-of-her-head by colouring, my own pencils came to life.
A few weeks after the completion of my vision board, my current
style emerged through Mon Lion. I discovered the ‘secret
potential’ of basic colouring pencils!
This one is about my acquisition of a campervan and the
planned happy moments by the sea.
My ‘Artist’s Journey’
For now, until my ‘Artist Career’ really takes off, I’ll share my ‘Artist’s Journey’ through what some say are soul-inspired doodles. The unpredictability of my first ‘crazee doodle’ with its unplanned shapes and the interconnection of every motif which already then seemed essential, must have stemmed from my personal conviction that we, humans, are interconnected to all that is on planet Earth and All is connected back to us.1969 - Guatemala City
16 Year old me – my maiden voyage into the smelly/messy World of Oils and Turpentine and art for ‘Fun sake’.My ‘Artist’s Journey’
The unpredictability of my first ‘crazee doodle’ with its unplanned shapes and the interconnection of every motif which already then seemed essential, must have stemmed from my personal conviction that we, humans, are interconnected to all that is on planet Earth and All is connected back to us. Later, my doodles became more figurative. I liked to think that they were my reminders to celebrate my inner- outer imperfections as well as my aspirations and intentions; and that the erased, reshaped or reinforced lines unconsciously symbolised the path of self-evolution through my inherent challenges. Weird Shapes That Emerge The most surprising aspect of what, early on, I called my ‘crazee doodles’ are the fantastical creatures and surreal landscapes that emerge spontaneously beneath the strokes my pencil. Each unpredictable shape illustrates the unpredictable nature of what is always present in any of the under layers of any particular moment. Unforeseen and eccentric forms materialize through the dynamic interplay of paper, pencil and eraser. They reveal a whimsical dance between spontaneity and realisation. Intention, at that point, is no longer relevant. I see this process as a metaphor for dealing with the unpredictable nature of my life’s moments - be they good, bad, indifferent, scary, or healing - as they successively pop up underfoot.My Own Inspiration
By now, in 2023, my doodles have evolved in their own ways. Once an idea for a new doodle pops up, I assemble two or three items [object/photos] that support the intended theme. I am deliberate in the shaping of these elements but once that is done, I let my favourite 2B pencil and eraser form and re-work a flurry of other possibilities. I am always curious about the inner whorls, dips and lines that may reveal themselves. I am always on the lookout for the emergence of potential heart shapes and butterflies and birds. Regardless of their often whimsical shapes, they remind of me the need for love, gratitude, hope and trust. ‘Two Sphinxes’ [which began with a photo of my little dog, Oscar, and that of an Egyptian sphynx] ended up including a camel and references to the destruction of Gaza. An ailing Tree of Life and a few struggling white doves, symbolise the prospect of an unlikely peace, at least as things stand in December 2023. More Realistic Doodles Even when the central figures of my drawings are planned and fairly realistic such as in the drawings entitled Magdalena, Ste Therese de Lisieux, St Hugh and his Swan, Little Men big Fires and Boadicea, quirky, whimsical details are always quick to weave themselves through the lines of otherwise serious intentions. As colours and strange shapes emerge through various layers, I imagine them as encoded echoes of emotions that lie below the surface. Some of these shapes can appear scary. Some are cute and quirky. Others are downright weird. Prehistoric looking at times, too. As the outline of each drawing shows up more clearly with each stroke, I discover little aha moments for myself and I quite accept that the way my creativity is expressing itself is through an endless connection to my inner- self. So, as the pencil sculpts and the eraser dances, it's never about finishing a doodle; it's always about celebrating the interplay of the soul-based intuition and personality that makes us uniquely human. Having said that, 30 ‘crazee doodles’ later at the time of writing, my favourite 2B pencil is now too little to sharpen further. Never mind. It has reached the perfect size to retire from drawing … but it can be re-purposed as one of my sentimental pieces of ear plug jewellery :-) And, I’ve already begun doodling with a new pencil …
My Journey
This doodle is about my 92-year-old father doing his best to
accept the limitations of ageing [symbolised by the slow-moving
snails at his feet] while the locals are having fun at the beach to
which he walks every day.
