On Display:💛Pause & Reconnect 🌿
Incredibly thought-provoking pause moments led to reconnecting in our session this week, through what was shared within the group and the subsequent artworks and stories that followed. It’s good to put the brakes on and really connect to a moment — sometimes sharing a memory can bring it magically back to life. Pausing can also bring inner peace and comfort amongst the fast pace of everyday life. There are so many different ways to pause and reconnect; the possibilities are endless. Find your moment of pause and take time to look through the extraordinary online gallery of our wonderful artworks.
Helen - Reconnected with a 1990s date night as a teenage mum, 'a homemade fort, sofa cushions as a bed, takeaway and reggae. The crutch was my late partner's; he had cerebral palsy. Simple but perfect for us. The memory still makes me smile all these years later.'
This is such a beautiful room setting; it captures and evokes so many memories, Helen. 💛 I love the little mugs, the record player, cushions and all those personal details that make this memory yours. Including your late partner's crutch is such a meaningful touch too. You can really feel the warmth of that simple, special evening. Helen explained it was an unfinished drawing from an earlier topic.
Created using colouring pencils.
Christine - This is lovely. After Christine and I had a wee chat about the theme in our meeting, she decided on this picture using the 'Zen Color' app on her iPad. Hugging an animal represented ‘connecting’ to her, while taking time out and spending time with an animal was her way of pausing.
Christine said this was a difficult picture to complete, but she managed it and shared it with us — brilliant, thank you!
Created using Zen Color.
Matthew - A really fantastic sketch! After a moment of thought, Matthew got busy and drew his impression of his local church, St Paul's Church, Colwyn Bay. He told me it's only a minute away from where he lives. Importantly, he loves to go there every weekend to pause, relax and reconnect with his friends; he listens to and enjoys a different service every week.
Black biro on lined paper.
Andy - A beautiful rose, soft yellow petals, all the layers and a bright, vibrant red butterfly, gorgeous contrast, Andy. I wondered if this rose was in Andy's garden; he explained that he'd been to his local park, where he'd stopped for a while and noticed the rose with the butterfly. How relaxing to stop and notice them together in that moment.
Created using oil pastels.
Phil - Both Phil's comic-style digital artworks made me smile.
#1 For his first artwork, I love how this shows Phil making time for himself and putting everything else on hold for a while. So important, especially as Phil has a busy life with work and Zoom meetings. Phil remains loyal to his barber and the shop, and really enjoys the funky hairstyles that are custom-designed for him. What a great way to pause and enjoy some ‘me time’!
#2 For his second artwork, Phil showed so many ways he loves to both pause and reconnect with his black-and-white cat, Haley. 🐾 The written captions make this really entertaining, especially where Haley refers to herself as Phil’s art teacher! And what a wig he's wearing for this comic. She’s a great companion, and they really are an awesome duo!
Both were AI-generated digital artworks by Phil, created using ChatGPT.
Vicky - A fantastic array of sketches, Vicky, so well thought out to show how you pause and reconnect!
#1Your first set of sketches shows how you pause: you resting in bed and taking time to recharge, your curly hair around your head, with Joyce, your cuddly dog companion, tucked up beside you under the duvet. How comfy! Underneath you sketched a beautiful swan and a pair of binoculars, showing how you enjoy making time to pause and go birdwatching — which you explained was one of your favourite pastimes. Awesome pauses.
#2 I love how you've captured the reconnect side of this theme too, Vicky.
In your first sketch, you've symbolised a Zoom meeting, as you love connecting with friends and especially enjoy the art group for its relaxing and fun sessions. You're not alone — I love reconnecting with everyone during these quieter sessions too. We all have something in common, and it's a great space to share our artwork and tips about materials we use. Your next sketch is a butterfly, symbolising how much you love spending time connecting with nature when you're out and about and when you're on holiday.
And your final sketch is a musical note. You explained that you pause and connect with the song ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor. It has great meaning for you, representing cutting ties and being a survivor yourself.
A truly personal set of sketches. Fabulous artwork, Vicky — fantastic.
Black biro was used to create these.
Donna - #1 This is awesome, Donna, look at the steam rising from your drink! A perfect way to pause — with a hot drink and a good book. I asked what her favourite books were, and she replied that her favourite author was Jacqueline Wilson. And she loves a hot chocolate too! Fantastic, what a perfect way to spend time taking a break!
#2 I love the colours Donna has used; she explained that she decided to draw her new electric adjustable bed, which she recently received. She said it's really comfy and she can have a lovely rest in it compared with her old bed, and it's much easier for her now. I love the new pink bedding too! She had to make some tough decisions as to which teddies were going to live on the bed, apparently! It does look like it may be difficult to get out of, Donna — it looks like a great place to melt away, rest and pause.
Felt tip pens were used to create both these artworks.
Barbara – Love this! A very statuesque pose, with those vibrant Tree of Life colours and roots beneath you, symbolising pause and reconnecting. Your head forming the branches, with the wisps of your hair morphing into them, is cool. A fantastic idea and awesome art, B!
Barbara shared that, for this week's theme, she drew a self-portrait in a meditation pose as the trunk of a Tree of Life, with the branches growing out of her head and the roots growing out from underneath her. The tree emanates from her head and is yellow with red, orange, green, blue, violet and white — the colours of the chakras.
Gold marker pen and watercolour paints were used to create this.
Alison - #1 This is lovely. Alison was telling me that she took a break from this colouring she began, picked her pens up during this session and carried on where she had left off. Nice to have a finished picture; this fairy globe is now complete. There are so many little details to discover — the fairies and a beautiful little cottage, very sweet.
#2 Another of Alison’s fairy series of coloured artworks – a gorgeous butterfly and lily bloom, with two pretty little fairies. Alison said she ran out of one shade of yellow for her butterfly, so used a lighter one instead, very summery and the softer shade of the butterfly works perfectly alongside the deep purple lily bloom, I think.
Felt-tip pens were used to create both artworks.
Sarah - Spinning the Webs in the World
I always stop and admire a spider weaving its web, so precise in its movements, each day making repairs diligently. I'm not a huge spider fan — I'm an arachnophobe, truth be told — but I'm an admirer of their fine skills. I will pause from a distance to watch in awe as they set about, at pace, anchoring and spinning their silk construction. Fascinating!
Watercolour paint and white acrylic pens were used for this artwork.
As we've travelled through this gallery, we've discovered so many different ways to pause and reconnect. We've stepped back into treasured memories, found comfort with our pets, reconnected with friends and familiar places, stopped to notice nature, made time for self-care, rested, listened to music, grounded ourselves and simply enjoyed creating. These moments are personal to each and every one of us, but there's a golden thread running through them all — we all need to stop sometimes, take a moment for ourselves and recognise when we need that space. Thank you to everyone who shared not only their wonderful artwork, but the personal stories behind those moments too. Find your pause, however that looks for you, and give yourself the space to reconnect. 💛🌿
If you would like to take part in one of our art sessions, there'll be a different topic each week and you'll be more than welcome to join us. We meet on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm (UK time). Come along and create in a medium of your choice in a friendly space.
Find us through the link below and select All4Art:
What lovely ideas and places to go to pause and reconnect.
Sometimes we need to stop, listen to our body and thoughts and take the time to look after ourselves.
Some more fabulous pieces of artwork .
Everyone has outdone themselves this week - stunning array of paintings and artwork. Particularly loving Donna's, Helen's, Alison, Andy's. Matthew's, Vicky's and Sarah's work this week, awesome! xxx