An Artist's Sketchbook

There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual-become clairvoyant. We reach then into reality. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom.
It is in the nature of all people to have these experiences; but in our time and under the conditions of our lives, it is only a rare few who are able to continue in the experience and find expression for it.
At such times there is a song going on within us, a song to which we listen. It fills us with surprise. We marvel at it. We would continue to hear it. But few are capable of holding themselves in the state of listening to their own song. Intellectuality steps in and as the song within us is of the utmost sensitiiveness, it retires in the presence of the cold, materials intellect. It is aristocratic and will not associate itself with the commonplace-and we fall back and become our ordinary selves. Yet we live in the memory of these songs which in moments of intellectual inadvertence have been possible to us. They are the pinnacles of our experience and it is the desire to express these intimate sensations, this song from within, which motivates the masters of all art.

Robert Henri- The Art Spirit, International Studio, May, 1921

Drawing these hands was one of those moments. I sketched these hands from a photo reference on wetcanvas. I sat to simply doodle, half-heartedly, and this sketch just flowed out. So simple, so effortlessly. I love the presence of the line on the paper. The mass of the shapes; muscle, flesh and bone. I come to realize that this is my goal. To be able to engage that song within each time I place pencil to paper. Brush to canvas. Because of the disconnected flow of free creativity, due to the responsibilities of life, these moments are rare and valuable. Everytime I look at this drawing I am reminded of that song within. I am reminded that I can engage that song and hold myself "in the state of listening". Even if only for a brief moment.