Pearl In Clam Shell Watercolor Painting
By Charlie

Finding A Pearl

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our prompt of “Beach” today, I decided to sketch a clam shell with a pearl inside. It would indeed be rather lucky to stumble across something like this on the beach, but mostly I just think pearls are really pretty and wanted to paint one. And though I have no plans to visit a beach in the future, it’s always wonderful to visit one in the pages of my sketchbook. Our world is certainly struggling at the moment, and headline after headline only makes things appear more grim. But, as a devout optimistic, I have to look for those little pearls in life that remind me that there’s always a way to focus on happy things. Indeed, making art is one of the best ways I can imagine to both create and share joy and hope with the world. So, I’m just going to keep right on sketching and taking each day as it comes. Always looking for those bright spots of hope and happiness, which artists everywhere are creating, each and every day.

Today, I was back to running far behind on things, as I had to stop and do taxes in the middle of everything. Well, compile everything to hand to the person who actually does our taxes, because I don’t do math things or understand weirdly written rules. Truly, my brain is the exact opposite of the one that created tax forms. I can’t understand a word of it. It’s like a forgetful mathematician and a misprogrammed robot wrote down their live, unedited conversation on the fly. And the outcome of the exercise is always a touch depressing these days as well. There are some things in the world that I simply can’t avoid. And yet, I still find myself in a very happy mood. Philippe and I are enjoying a longer bit of daylight and the evening seems quite fabulous. We’re enjoying our usual little routines at home and blocking out the rest of the world for a moment. It’s a blissful moment indeed.

Life can get a bit crazy, so taking time to pause and focus on the happy things is the best way I can live it. When I was a kid, I was perfectly oblivious to all of the horrible things that were happening in the world. My parents kept me well-protected from the bits of gloom and doom that kept cropping up. As an adult, I now have to protect myself. I have to understand the world for what it really is, and then make my best decisions from there. In my heart, I want to fix all of the problems, but I know I can only do my small part. So, that’s what I DO! Each and every day, I do what I can to make a tiny difference. It’s not really that much, I guess, but I have to believe that even one positive place in the world can make a change somehow. And, though I could get caught up in the chaos I can’t control, I choose to look past it and focus on the things I can control. All the while, searching for that bit of shimmer in the distance where I just might end up finding a pearl.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Opus (Vivid Pink), Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta, and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen (Extra Fine Nib) with sepia ink  in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!
 Pearl In Clam Shell Watercolor Painting Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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28 thoughts on “Finding A Pearl”

  2. Ditto what Karen said! A little bit of peace each day. I guess I will be thankful that I have been held up in my home for the past two weeks! Plumbing is complete, happy with results. It will be interesting to go out in the real world tomorrow!

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  5. I always wanted a pearl necklace, so Joe bought me one for a holiday one year. It was after we were married, but that’s all I remember for sure. It is a lovely string of pearls though and I wish I had occasions to wear them. Maybe I should make them my gardening pearls. So long as I don’t touch them with my dirty hands, they would be a fetching accessory.

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  6. Yay for pearls! I’m composing this from a laptop that a dear friend has given me in the hopes I’ll have fewer problems. Having someone who is willing to go the extra mile to help me out is a pearl beyond all price, and I am so thankful for the internet that has given me so many great and wonderful friends!

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  7. I LOVE pearls and occasionally would find one inside my oyster, rare claims, but WHAT a gift! Lovely post Charlie. I finally own a long and gorgeous strand of Tahitian pearls and relish them! I understand and agree with Lisa’s comment. 🙂

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  8. Great painting Charlie. I look forward to coming here before I go to work in the morning. I post my doodle then look through all the other great pieces that have posted since yesterday morning. I echo everyone’s thanks.

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  9. It’s nice to have sites like yours to take your mind off everything else for a while. It can be disruptive thinking about everything that’s going on in the world right now. And I agree. We need to focus on all the things we can control and contribute with, and just hope for the best in the end. There are many pearls to find out there 🙂

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    1. So true!! 😃💕 There’s only so much anxiety one can bear and then we have just keep focusing on the positives. Support each other with love and hope and, of course, keep right on making beautiful art for the world!

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  13. Thank you for a lovely image in words and pictures..I am grateful to be able to take a little time out each day to create something as that is my little bit of self care. And to have here to come to as well! Life has been a bit busy and about to get busier..but I hope to be able to catch up when and as often as I can here with you and all that is here. This is one of the pearls in my life!

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