Love, Hope, And Faith

For our prompt of “Something Green” today, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I opted for some shamrocks and an Irish hare. Each year where I live, there’s normally a huge St. Patrick’s Day parade downtown, the 3rd largest in the nation. But, in these current times, the parade has been cancelled and downtown is devoid of any people at all. It’s a very strange time indeed. A time of social distancing that can sometimes make the world feel a bit lonely. But, the shamrock is a wonderful reminder that there’s still a lot of good in the world. The three leaves are said to represent three of the most extraordinary things of all: love, hope, and faith. With these, combined with a strong spirit of community, we can get through pretty much anything that comes our way in life. In truth, as we continue to paint together and share our art online, I never feel lonely at all! And it’s my sincere hope that each of you out there stays happy and healthy in the weeks ahead!

As a shy introvert, avoiding crowds is what I’ve always done, so not much has changed there. But, I will miss going to live theatre shows with friends, all of which have now been cancelled for the next few weeks. Though much of this should feel a touch depressing, the truth is, it’s just a moment in time and I know that it won’t last forever. I’m happy to do my part to distance myself from the world physically. And, I’m super happy that I have all of you out there to connect with during this time. Equally, I’ve been amazed at the amount of art that people have created. Many who are taking part in the Doodlewash monthly challenge are coming up with even more than one answer to the prompt! And painting more than ever this month! It’s been so comforting to watch people turn to art for relief, because I know in my heart it’s one of the best things we could all be doing right now. Art creates a sense of calm and a centeredness that’s quite hard to replicate.

So, while I still only have enough time to sneak in my own quick little sketch each day, I’m so thoroughly inspired by all of the other artists in our community. I’m not sure I knew when I started Doodlewash that this would be the reason I’d adore it. I’ve always known that I’ve passionately wanted to create a space where people who love to make art can do so without all of the rules and expectations that often come with it. But, in these current turbulent times, I feel so incredibly grateful. Together we can sketch and paint a world that we’d like to see. Far from the one that exists now, and far closer to the one we know will come in the future. The better world that we’re learning our way toward. Each stroke of the pen and each splash of a paint brush reveals bits of emotion that describe both worlds. And this is the very reason I adore art. It’s always been a conversation about the times that we’re living through. This time might be one of the most challenging of all, yet I know for certain that we’ll all get through it with just the simplest and purest of things, like love, hope, and faith.

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About the Doodlewash Da Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Red, Cobalt Turquoise, Leaf Green, Terra Cotta, Ultramarine (Green Shade), and Indigo. Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen (Broad 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!

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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