Rest is resistance

Rest is resistance

When I gave a presentation to the Open University a few weeks ago, I spoke about my practice of drawing water as one of deliberately slowing down in order to inhabit time with more awareness and presence. One of the questions I was asked in the (unrecorded) Q&A...
Puddles or portals? Another world underfoot

Puddles or portals? Another world underfoot

We’ve had a couple of weeks of fairly relentless rain and wind here in Orkney. One day last week we had such a downpour that our track was awash with run-off from the neighbouring fields, shin-deep in places, and we spent lunchtime digging little sluices and trenches...
on the tyranny of goals and targets

on the tyranny of goals and targets

In the correspondence I have with the wonderful people I work with as coach and mentor I am often struck by how harsh they are with themselves, how much their confidence and wellbeing seems to hinge on achieving this or that creative goal. Indeed, the wider world of...
These are Trying Times

These are Trying Times

It’s fair to say that these are trying times. Each news bulletin seems to bring more evidence of the madness, destructiveness, greed and mendacity of those who hold power. My Twitter feed is full of righteous anger, denunciations and calls to action to fight for the...
Be more Agnes…

Be more Agnes…

If you’ve read my book The Clearing you’ll know I’m a big fan of the artist Agnes Martin. I’ve been thinking about her work and life a lot recently. When the world is falling to bits and it feels ridiculous to spend my time drawing pictures I remind myself of what...
The Artist’s Studio

The Artist’s Studio

This weekend I played host in my studio to a group from the Friends of the RSA who were visiting Orkney for a week. Quite apart from the well-timed need for a spot of tidying up, it was a pleasure to open my space to such an interested, curious, engaged group of...