I think we have weathered the restrictions and problems associated with the pandemic quite well so far. Though having said that, I’ve had some real problems with motivation for some of my activities. Knitting has mainly been experimental and sewing is going well, but I haven’t done any drawing since the middle of March. I can’t really put my finger on why, just that I really didn’t feel like it. I find it very difficult to start any sort of drawing, as the first part is just so hard. I spend ages on the initial setting up measuring and getting the angles, ratios and relationships right, well, as right as I can get them. I don’t think I’m a natural draftsman (every other version of that word is just too clunky). o here is a little wren done in coloured pencils. I loved doing it once I got going – as always.

It is so therapeutic and almost like meditation so there is no sense in my having abandoned something that provides such a beneficial personal effect. I didn’t say I was sensible did I?  

Wrens are lovely tiny birds with a big voice. We tend to see more of them in the winter when the foliage has fallen. You can always tell when they fly past as they are a little russet coloured blur. Having managed to get one drawing, with lots of faults under my belt, I’ve already started another and got passed the, ‘I can’t do this, it’s too hard bit’ to the enjoyable, ‘what does this colour, shade, technique look like’ and I’m loving it again.  So here is my little Jenny Wren or to be fully accurate, Troglodytes troglodytes.