Standing Still (AY Original 1/1)

Hand drawn original artwork, stippling/pointillism on paper. (Red AY Logo placed for watermarking purposes only. Original does not show watermark)

Completion time: 26.5 hours

Matted and framed (16"x20" frame)

A couple months ago, my best friend took me on a hike in NH. Besides the beautiful fall foliage and crisp air, there was something else I noticed loud and clear…..the stillness. Besides the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot and the wind, there was nothing but stillness. Looking up at these trees, time slowed down. I was reminded to breathe, embracing feeling small amid the cold natural beauty. All around, leaves were falling. Things I had no control over were changing. But it was still beautiful and just like those trees, I was still standing. Still breathing.   

I took that with me as I drew this piece. This was an ongoing lesson on remembering to pause. It’s all too easy for me to get lost in details. I mean, that’s where I thrive - drawing details with dots. But this time, I was learning to find a balance between hyper focusing on every detail of the branches and leaves, while also taking a step back to not lose the forest through the trees, so to speak. Repeatedly stippling certain areas multiple times to get the right depth of color and vibrancy, while also not forgetting the beauty in simplicity. A reminder to pause amid overwhelming life changes and ground myself….to remind myself that I’m still standing.