Morning Page October 6

Look at me posting every day!

This was a good practice day - I need to do more of this. Just sketch things I see FOR practice.

A couple writing utensils, a few items from a lovely Substack post (https://alilabelle.substack.com/p/you-too-can-live-in-the-world-of)that curated actual things in the world inspired by the Madeline children’s book drawings. And then a few whimsical from-my-imagination sketches (surely influenced by bits I’ve probably stored away in my brain from other artists). It was a peaceful time of drawing while watching the final episodes of Traitors New Zealand on my iPad in my motel room.

I have to say I’m really getting a lot out of these Morning Pages and I think it’s a habit that’s going to stick. This little Morning Practice experiment just might be a thing I do long term. Huh.

So - what’s my digital future?

I’ve posted these pages here as journal entries instead of my Substack newsletter so I could test the posting part of the practice out for myself without concern of others reading it, which might be a little self delusional. Analytics for my website report that I have more visitors than I think here…but it feels like I’m posting without an audience.

Whereas, even though I have very few subscribers on Substack (my own fault for lack of trying), they and the possible whole Substack universe that could find me felt too exposed for what amounts to daily journaling.

And this is a little project I wasn’t sure would last so I didn’t want to embarrass myself there.

AND I have a lot of confusing thoughts about Substack right now.

I might move these over to Substack soon. I don’t know. “Wonderwise” as a concept doesn’t feel right lately, in these dark times. I DO believe we all and especially artists need to keep on creating and finding joy in our lives—which is what I’m doing with my Morning Practice, after all. We need to create the world we want for ourselves and for each other and I want wonder and awe and joy and discovery…and I want to help spread that to others.

This little project is feeling good and sustainable and worth sharing, I think. Not only for me, but I know I enjoy and am inspired by other artists who share their practice - Tasha Goddard especially really did inspire me to do morning pages this year as a prime example. Good ideas spread!

But. I also want and need PEACE in both my life and the world - and man, dark, dark forces are working against us right now. Life just can’t go on as usual.

Not when ICE is violently descending on apartment buildings and city streets, zip tying children, hurling elderly people on street curbs and literally disappearing thousands of people (I just learned 1200+ people at Alligator Alcatraz alone are suddenly gone; their families don’t know where they are https://www.democracynow.org/2025/9/25/alligator_alcatraz ). Not to mention the current government setting up the idea that all Americans who don’t agree with them are enemies and therefore subject to ICE atrocities. Not to mention All Their Other Unconstitutional and Immoral Crimes.

How can I just talk about my creative practice?

The answer is I can’t. I do need to speak out, share and spread what is real and true and important—and threatening. And that feels so opposite to my Wonderwise mission.

And yet…didn’t I just say I found peace in the time I took for this morning page…and that I want peace in my life and the world…so isn’t speaking out against people who want to take that away from us—who ARE violently and forcefully taking peace away from us in this country right now—of no greater importance to my mission?

Ahh.

So. This is truly my rambling journaling, me thinking out loud. But if you happen to stumble here, please know that I think I worked something out for myself today. All in all a very good Morning Practice session.

Morning Page October 5

I saw this most excellent skeleton placed just so in someone’s garden while traveling through Arcadia. A celebration of life, I think (which of course includes death). I had a little extra time this morning to play with value contrasts so that was fun.

I’m leaving Maine tomorrow. It’s been 10 days of touring the midcoast region, and yet a very small portion of this big wooded and coastal New England state.

I have never been here before. And yes, I only have surface impressions over such a short time, but the earth here is truly magnificent - all the islands and peninsulas and bays in the coast…the thick northeastern forests. Amazing. And I do feel like I understand more how both history and geography must have shaped the people who live here. Not to mention, by all accounts the cold, cold, long winters.

This California girl can’t begin to comprehend what that even means.

Anyway, good trip. But I’m a homebody at heart. Time to go home.

Morning Pages October 2-4

Three more morning pages…

I’m pleased that I’ve been able to keep up with my Morning Practice while traveling (though not just in the mornings.). I’ve never been able to do this much drawing while on the road (and I have other pieces I’m working on besides Morning Pages too). So that’s a win. But damn, I just can’t seem to post one each day! It doesn’t take that long! I’m going to try harder for rest of the trip which is now just four more days.

On Oct 2 I drew shapes inspired by the forms we saw at the Boothbay Botanical Garden. That garden was definitely a highlight of the trip. Beautiful foliage everywhere. When I experience nature, I’m always thinking about how to create abstracted shapes inspired by natural shapes. The quantity and complexity in nature is truly astounding.

On Friday, Oct 3, we went to several coastal areas in Arcadia National Park and the rock cliffs are beautiful. I couldn’t unsee these elephants.

Finally, Oct 4, we got there early (8am) and hiked a gorgeous trail through the Arcadia forest and also some carriage roads. I was back to being dazzled by natural shapes and forms, but the old bridges built of the land’s rock…oh my. I spent a pleasant few minutes drawing this one.