28 Comments

Great May artwork. I love painting in Watercolor. It puts me in a relaxing state of flow. Have you experienced flow? I love Le Vie en Rose. My favorite hot drink at a cafe is a cafe latte and at home, it's a hot chocolate although I usually make coffee. I too feel like I am spinning. I don't have kids but I have a seven-month-old puppy that I feed and walk in the morning. If you want to read a maudlin dog story, I published my first story on Substack titled My Life with Lacy. Before going on our walk, I must unload the dishwasher. We don't have a cleaning lady or gent. I create clutter by covering the dining room table with painting supplies. My husband, who aspires to house beautiful, despises this and accuses me of taking over the house. I am taking three classes because my life is about learning. My daily activity is playing Wordle and spelling bee in the NYTimes. My mother grew up in Winnipeg and I am thinking of applying for Canadian citizenship and moving to Vancouver if Trump wins the election. I live in Southern California. We are going from Vancouver to Banff on the Great Western Railway this Fall. I am very happy to have discovered you here. Spin slowly! 🫶🏼

Expand full comment
author

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing! Winnipeg is a lovely place! And you’ll love the train ride through the mountains. It’s so beautiful.

Expand full comment

My husband thinks he is a comedian. He asks if you have a guest bedroom and how big is it! 🤣

Expand full comment
author

That’s hilarious! It’s so small there’s barely room to swing a cat!

Expand full comment

I shared this thought exactly with a friend this week, that I felt like I was spinning and spinning and spinning, and it was the people around me who kept that movement in thrall. But the idea that I am the center of that, still, feels so reassuring. This is such a perfect way to capture how to keep hold of ourselves in the midst of it all.

Expand full comment
author

I’m so glad it gave you some confort. It’s always good to feel one has autonomy on how one feels about life. 💕💕💕

Expand full comment

Your writing about spinning is very interesting and thought provoking. Thank you for sharing.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you!

Expand full comment
May 15Liked by Jane Heinrichs

Thank you for sharing your lovely sketches Jane. I can relate with you about the spinning 😀❤️

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! I think we’re all spinning!

Expand full comment

Thank you for the lovely feature Jane! Another thing that's always spinning in my house are my records- music is what makes me feel calm/grounded/or like dancing!

Expand full comment
author

Yes! The songs are always spinning in our house too!

Expand full comment

Oh, I love this🍀

Expand full comment
author

Thank you so much!

Expand full comment

Love this Jane

Expand full comment
author

Thank you for your kind words!

Expand full comment

You're most welcome

Expand full comment
Sep 24Liked by Jane Heinrichs

Love Jill Barber!

Your water colours are beautiful!

Fellow Canadian from the East:)

Expand full comment
author

Lovely! I’m from the exact middle! 😂

Expand full comment
May 27Liked by Jane Heinrichs

Very well said this is exactly how I’ve been feeling. I’m a hairdresser here in Michigan and I keep seeing and hearing messages to stand in the middle of the cross or stay in the middle of the hurricane easier easier said than done thank you so much for your writing, they helped me today.

Expand full comment
author

I’m glad! Sometimes motivational messages just aren’t realistic. Life is wonderful, but also so busy and complicated. We need to honour that complexity without over simplifying things. 🥰

Expand full comment

So much wisdom in the pirouetting spin, thank you for sharing x

Expand full comment
author

Thank you!

Expand full comment

I love your May sketches. I am taking a live drawing class where we sketch nude models. They change poses every 15-20 minutes and I can't keep up. It's improving my drawing skills. I also paint in watercolor. I enter the state of flow most of the time. It is very relaxing. You are a better artist than me.

You asked so many questions that I may have to listen again and write them down. Lol

Expand full comment
May 15Liked by Jane Heinrichs

Thank you for introducing me to Jill Barber. She’s been a beautiful accompaniment to the morning. ☕️😌

May I ask you a sketchbook question? Is the paper specific for watercolor or is it “normal” paper?

I started taking community watercolor classes 2 years ago and I am so inspired by your journals!

Expand full comment
author

This is a moleskine pocket sketchbook. It is not specifically water colour paper. But it is robust enough to take small washes. (With a hair dryer at the ready). When I do my professional illustrations I work on Fabriano hot pressed water colour paper. 💕

Expand full comment
May 15Liked by Jane Heinrichs

We’re in good company with the planets! Maybe it’s a pirouette! Had to write down both lovely thoughts - what a great perspective shift. Thanks for this!

Expand full comment
author

Oh I’m so glad! 💕💕💕

Expand full comment