You have such a wonderful way of articulating things. In my non-art journal I have a tendency to vent a lot and write about stressful things-- which does help me sort my mind out to an extent-- but I like the idea of incorporating more of the good, giving it more of my attention and mental energy. I will be looking for glimmers this week. :-)
I think our journals have space for all of it, and I think our journals absolutely are our private spaces for venting, for working out on paper or in line the reality of the things that are going on, how we feel, what makes us anxious, and so on. I really am not trying to suggest we all pretend life is rosy, but I think there can be great power in “also” noticing these small things. I do hope you spot a glimmer today. Thanks for commenting!
Glimmers are completely new to me. Well, the term Glimmer is at least. I'm a fascinated by it as you are! I'll be on the lookout and I LOVE your idea to make a grid and keep track. I'm definitely going to do this.
The sea glass reminds me of the artist Janet Fish. Give her a Google and take a look at some of her work if you aren't familiar. She is a master at painting glass and reflected light. She grew up in Bermuda and she and her father collected sea glass and displayed all the bits on a window sill and you can see that inspiration in her work. My museum has a couple of her paintings and I love them both. My favorite is called June. 💕
I’m surprised but also a bit glad to see the comments on glimmers. I felt like I had slept through something important. I don’t know Janet Fish, but I am going to look her art up. Thanks for the mention! Happy uke playing, too.
Jul 30, 2023·edited Jul 30, 2023Liked by Amy Cowen
I love this idea of glimmers. This month I had to do a presentation on my art journey and had no idea where to start. My glimmer was three words I had written down a couple months ago: Hesitation, haste and happenstance. Three words that exactly describe the trip. Thank goodness for that glimmer! It made the whole process easier.
Glimmers are also what I like to draw in my journal. (Which I desperately need to get back to!) When I’m actively journaling, I like to always be listening and looking for those odd little moments to illustrate. The glimmers!
Thaks for putting such a fun name to these moments and as always, thanks for all you do!
Glimmerglimmerglimmer! Can’t say it without smiling!
I love the trio of words…. Oh they are fun to contemplate together. I hope your presentation went well - and good for you doing it! I love your comments on your journal and drawing glimmers….. I agree about the pleasure in the word! As always, thank you for commenting. Have a good Sunday! (You should draw with us sometime.)
I love sea glass, if I lived near a beach, I can imagine spending lots of time walking and searching. Maybe I can bring a shred of that enthusiasm to finding glimmers in my daily life.
I think it’s been years since I was in a position to look for sea glass….. but despite how moody things usually are, I do know that I can look out the window and see nothing…. But sometimes I change how I am looking…. And find something magical. Being able to see something magical doesn’t mean everything is suddenly good. Learning to accept that both things can be true….. took a while and is something I work on and have to consciously think about. I hope you find a glimmer in the day or in the week…. I think that last moment where we all say goodbye at the end of our drawing group is sort of nice…. (Thinking about it just now.) — Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m so glad we draw together!
Oh…. I’m glad then that you saw that. I’ll post those notes on book 3 at some point or at Instagram this week. There wasn’t room here. Austin Kleon is one of the superstar names…
I feel the need to leave a comment here because a frenzy of “cutting” the post yesterday has now left me vaguely uncomfortable. The post was initially a thinking through of two things… glimmers and toxic positivity, both phrases that have really impacted me recently, both phrases that gave a “label” to something important. I removed the “book” I wrote on (what I call) “glossing” and TP and how difficult (and alienating) I find that. I also removed an initial list of three simple gratitudes from the week, following a paragraph about feeling blue, and sinking, and stagnant. There is always the back and forth. I am not a rose-colored glasses person — but gratitudes (and now the idea of glimmers) have been really important for me in developing a (somewhat) calmer approach and more balance. It was a difficult process…. I do try and remember to look for the simple things. I am always amazed by how when I open my eyes and really look…. I see.
You knocked the nail on the head. I've been calling them simple pleasures for want of a better word but glimmers is a good word too. It's noticing and appreciating the little things. Sometimes I will take my camera and wander the river bank finding little glimmers. The way the grasses fold over each other, a discarded rusty can with a flower growing out of it, all these little miracles of nature, reminders of times, places and people past just waiting for you to spot them. The purple flowers are agapanthus by the way.
Beautiful examples of simple pleasures, glimmers, or whatever word comes about, right. That you notice them.... that's the thing! Thank you for the agapanthus. They are everywhere here. I appreciate having the name.
Journaling is new to me and I’m so pleased I’ve managed my first month. The glimmers are definitely going to help me focus on the daily notes. I struggle with these. Thank you again for a really interesting read. Your mind must be a whirl of ideas. You are amazing 😊
Congratulations on a month of keeping up with an illustrated journal! I hope you are enjoying it! Some people come at the journal with the daily notes as the core part, but that isn't the case for everyone. It can be as simple as making a note of what you did or ate or watched on any given day. Thanks for commenting!
Loved this and the podcast re:glimmers. I think it’s a cousin of gratitude… today drawing someone said there are two words for princess (married in/born in) and I see glimmers and gratitude similarly. ✨✨✨
Beautiful idea Amy!
Thanks for reading, Lauren! And I saw the word “glimmer” appear in your coffee post in our group, and I smiled.
You have such a wonderful way of articulating things. In my non-art journal I have a tendency to vent a lot and write about stressful things-- which does help me sort my mind out to an extent-- but I like the idea of incorporating more of the good, giving it more of my attention and mental energy. I will be looking for glimmers this week. :-)
I think our journals have space for all of it, and I think our journals absolutely are our private spaces for venting, for working out on paper or in line the reality of the things that are going on, how we feel, what makes us anxious, and so on. I really am not trying to suggest we all pretend life is rosy, but I think there can be great power in “also” noticing these small things. I do hope you spot a glimmer today. Thanks for commenting!
Glimmers are completely new to me. Well, the term Glimmer is at least. I'm a fascinated by it as you are! I'll be on the lookout and I LOVE your idea to make a grid and keep track. I'm definitely going to do this.
The sea glass reminds me of the artist Janet Fish. Give her a Google and take a look at some of her work if you aren't familiar. She is a master at painting glass and reflected light. She grew up in Bermuda and she and her father collected sea glass and displayed all the bits on a window sill and you can see that inspiration in her work. My museum has a couple of her paintings and I love them both. My favorite is called June. 💕
I’m surprised but also a bit glad to see the comments on glimmers. I felt like I had slept through something important. I don’t know Janet Fish, but I am going to look her art up. Thanks for the mention! Happy uke playing, too.
I love this idea of glimmers. This month I had to do a presentation on my art journey and had no idea where to start. My glimmer was three words I had written down a couple months ago: Hesitation, haste and happenstance. Three words that exactly describe the trip. Thank goodness for that glimmer! It made the whole process easier.
Glimmers are also what I like to draw in my journal. (Which I desperately need to get back to!) When I’m actively journaling, I like to always be listening and looking for those odd little moments to illustrate. The glimmers!
Thaks for putting such a fun name to these moments and as always, thanks for all you do!
Glimmerglimmerglimmer! Can’t say it without smiling!
I love the trio of words…. Oh they are fun to contemplate together. I hope your presentation went well - and good for you doing it! I love your comments on your journal and drawing glimmers….. I agree about the pleasure in the word! As always, thank you for commenting. Have a good Sunday! (You should draw with us sometime.)
I love sea glass, if I lived near a beach, I can imagine spending lots of time walking and searching. Maybe I can bring a shred of that enthusiasm to finding glimmers in my daily life.
I think it’s been years since I was in a position to look for sea glass….. but despite how moody things usually are, I do know that I can look out the window and see nothing…. But sometimes I change how I am looking…. And find something magical. Being able to see something magical doesn’t mean everything is suddenly good. Learning to accept that both things can be true….. took a while and is something I work on and have to consciously think about. I hope you find a glimmer in the day or in the week…. I think that last moment where we all say goodbye at the end of our drawing group is sort of nice…. (Thinking about it just now.) — Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m so glad we draw together!
I have never read one of Austin Kleon’s books, but now I definitely want to!
Oh…. I’m glad then that you saw that. I’ll post those notes on book 3 at some point or at Instagram this week. There wasn’t room here. Austin Kleon is one of the superstar names…
He only lives an hour away from me!
I feel the need to leave a comment here because a frenzy of “cutting” the post yesterday has now left me vaguely uncomfortable. The post was initially a thinking through of two things… glimmers and toxic positivity, both phrases that have really impacted me recently, both phrases that gave a “label” to something important. I removed the “book” I wrote on (what I call) “glossing” and TP and how difficult (and alienating) I find that. I also removed an initial list of three simple gratitudes from the week, following a paragraph about feeling blue, and sinking, and stagnant. There is always the back and forth. I am not a rose-colored glasses person — but gratitudes (and now the idea of glimmers) have been really important for me in developing a (somewhat) calmer approach and more balance. It was a difficult process…. I do try and remember to look for the simple things. I am always amazed by how when I open my eyes and really look…. I see.
You knocked the nail on the head. I've been calling them simple pleasures for want of a better word but glimmers is a good word too. It's noticing and appreciating the little things. Sometimes I will take my camera and wander the river bank finding little glimmers. The way the grasses fold over each other, a discarded rusty can with a flower growing out of it, all these little miracles of nature, reminders of times, places and people past just waiting for you to spot them. The purple flowers are agapanthus by the way.
Beautiful examples of simple pleasures, glimmers, or whatever word comes about, right. That you notice them.... that's the thing! Thank you for the agapanthus. They are everywhere here. I appreciate having the name.
Journaling is new to me and I’m so pleased I’ve managed my first month. The glimmers are definitely going to help me focus on the daily notes. I struggle with these. Thank you again for a really interesting read. Your mind must be a whirl of ideas. You are amazing 😊
Congratulations on a month of keeping up with an illustrated journal! I hope you are enjoying it! Some people come at the journal with the daily notes as the core part, but that isn't the case for everyone. It can be as simple as making a note of what you did or ate or watched on any given day. Thanks for commenting!
Thank you ☺️
Loved this and the podcast re:glimmers. I think it’s a cousin of gratitude… today drawing someone said there are two words for princess (married in/born in) and I see glimmers and gratitude similarly. ✨✨✨