Peaceful Strokes

Mushroom in pencil by Rachael Dellamuth

When I was young I loved drawing and I used to doodle all the time. Do you remember those little “S” that were really popular in the early 2000’s where you would draw three lines and then three more right below it and then connect them all to form an “S”? Well, I used that for everything. Art was so big in my life that the letters I sent to my pen-pals were different fonts. Not like normal fonts but like these would be flowers or frogs or something of the sort. I loved drawing!

Doodling was one of my favorite things to do but I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. My parents informed me that doodles don’t pay the bills and that really just projected me into teaching myself to draw a bit more realistic. I started teaching myself to draw trees and faces. Again though, I was informed by my loving parents that my art would not ever support me much less the darling family I wanted. That people only spend lots of money on professional paintings by famous people. I could never be that and I was wasting my time. So, I put my pencils down and started looking for something different to do that I could love and be useful.

When I got married years later I found myself a housewife and only two children so from time to time I would doodle or draw something and even though my husband always would pit it against his amazing sister who yes is a great artist, or his own because he was also a great artist I tried to push through and enjoy it. I went to a couple of painting events for work (I had picked up working an MLM so I needed to socialize from time to time) and yes my paintings came out adorably perfect to be made fun of from small-minded people but I had soooo much fun.

Sadly, I did end up letting the negativity get into my head and I stopped doing art again for years.

In 2021 a lot started happening in my home life, that was the year that I started getting more spiritual and found Reiki. I also decided to pick up a pencil and do some doodling. After not drawing for years I found myself just relaxing into it. I found a peace in sitting alone and drawing. Pictures I did not plan on ever sharing with anyone. It was just for me. Just for my peace and enjoyment. I found I looked forward to drawing and I loved what I would make. My art varies and really shows how I am feeling that day.

This was the first thing I drew after years of being away.

Roses were always one of my favorite things to draw. I have always wanted to be able to draw one that was realistic and to this day it is one of my passive goals.

After a while I showed a couple of people closest to me that I felt would also enjoy the art I had done. It went over really well and I found that I love sharing my art. I decided to start working on an Oracle deck for my personal use because well, I love getting messages via beautiful decks and I love my art. I let a few people see the art as it came about and was asked to publish the deck when it was completed. There is no rush and I am making it as I feel called. It is so much fun!

I got into digital art for about a month. I do not have the equipment so it was borrowed but I loved it! I ended up having people order digital art from me in that short time.

When it comes down to it there is just simply no reason to not do something that brings you peace. You should pursue peace. Enjoy the way it enriches your life.

Do what makes you happy, what makes you feel peace inside. It doesn’t matter if others think it is amazing or not. It doesn’t matter if someone else is better than you.

You don’t ever have to share that peace with anyone else. That peace is for you to find and enjoy.