Wonderful suggestions Barbara.

I'm wary of all the shoulds that constantly vie for my attention and know that it really is up to me to select the medium that I love ~ At any particular time.

I do love working with natural materials and letting what I've always called, my 'creative muse' play and arrange them so that THEY are happy. I get a feeling for where particular fragments want to go. Who they want to be with or if they want to be left alone. And when they are in the 'right place' I have a sense that they are smiling.

And I love drawing ~ Once I'm in the middle of a drawing the feeling is magnetic. I know, you know this feeling when you are in the middle of drawing and painting.

I loved charcoal when I was at art school. And although I don't have a lot of experience with pastels, there is something about the softness of pastel that I love ~ Images of those foggy, blurred and muted horizons with just a little suggestion of detail really attract me.

You are so right about not forcing myself to draw because if it is to be, there will be a right moment to begin.

I've started with pastels ~ Just smudging and drawing the infinity symbol with different cloured lines, yellow and purple till it turned VERY muddy. I've been looking at a few videos just to see how different people work with pastel. Some artists smudge and blend while others lay colour side by side. Trying both methods.

Thank YOU so much Barbara.