24 Comments
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Nekitours's avatar

Oh mais pourquoi les oiseaux ont les sourcils froncés ? 🤔 (j’adore votre dessin 🥰🌸)

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Blancah's avatar

Hah! So much fun to watch you draw and comment in your humorous manner...lifts my mood and and a great distraction from the hard times we are in here in the US...I do collage books and have way too many pieces of paper stuffed in shoe boxes. Reading your blog I can def relate. Rest is the Best :-)

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Claire Powell's avatar

So happy to have you join me!

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Alina Chau's avatar

Love watching your live painting video!!!! :)

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Tara's avatar
Apr 3Edited

I'm so happy to have discovered your Substack and enjoyed watching your process here. I love this style of artwork and have only recently started getting into using inks myself. I find it challenging but so enjoyable. I already have quite the collection of inks to play with now but I'm looking to add some fountain pens with a permanent ink so I can take them into the out with me and use watercolour after drawing. I will have to investigate the fountain pens you've been using. On a side note, I was happy to discover your book at my library and have started reading it. Thoroughly enjoying it.

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Eva Lydon 🌺's avatar

Dear Claire, what a fabulous post and I very much enjoyed your video (complete with hilarious commentary) 🤣💕 I am so glad to hear that you are taking a break, but obviously sorry to hear that your brain went to jelly 🥴 Good on you for taking a guilt free vital step back and hurraaaa to drawing for fun again... yay! 👏🥰

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Dale Ketcheson's avatar

Thank you for sharing your drawing.

Wonderful!

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Maggie Summers's avatar

How lovely to watch the replay on this just now Claire! I was completely entranced watching you sketch and loved hearing you voice out loud, the questions and answers on your color decisions, that every artist I do believe does. It’s so much trickier when you are painting as there isn’t an ‘undo’ button.

Bravo for taking time for yourself so that your creative energy has a chance to express itself unstifled by deadlines and burnout. Giving yourself permission to recharge as many times as you like or need is the key to longevity in creating things you love, and that if you wish to, ultimately passes on to the recipient.

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Gillian McMurray's avatar

I am very glad you are taking some time to rest. A couple of times I have been in the jelly brain place and resting is so important. So I hope you can relax and take it easy for a bit.

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Jenn Wiggs's avatar

more please!

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Jenn Wiggs's avatar

so great thank you!!

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Deborah J. Stein's avatar

I totally understand this Claire and more power to you for taking this radical stance and doing what your body is asking of you rather than attempt to run marathon after marathon which seems to be the perceived pace in whatever this illustration freelancers world is.

Burnout is a hard and confusing one. I think it takes a lot of courage to talk about it let alone face it. Thankful for your voice in this world and take good care. Your work is a delight.

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Claire Powell's avatar

Deborah! How wonderful to see this message from you. So glad I’ve found you on here. Thank you for these kind words. You’re right, I feel very confused right now. There’s a lot of How did I get here, whilst also knowing exactly how I got here and how do I not let this happen again when I start back at work. I think that’s my greatest fear xx

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Deborah J. Stein's avatar

I understand completely Claire! If you ever want to chat about it, I'm here for you. I've had to really consider so much of the same and it's a careful task. Message me anytime!

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Alex Hallatt's avatar

Oh THAT’S how to do it! I’m going to try that as I’ve been resisting going live. Eventually. But well done for beating me to it! And for finding a way to feel better and not to feel guilty about it. Take care.

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Carl Jackaman's avatar

Welcome, i hope you enjoy your time here. 😊

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Sue Malina's avatar

Enjoyed that. What a great theme . Take care of yourself.

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Veronica's avatar

So lovely to watch!

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Grace Goose's avatar

I love absolutely everything about this.. stream of consciousness..meditative..brilliant artwork! ..and very brave and generous giving of time. Thank you for this!

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Sophia Longo's avatar

I couldn't agree more!! Please do it again Claire! Thanks for sharing it! Love your lines!

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