Pessoptimism
![Pessoptimism](/content/images/size/w960/2023/12/skeleton-1.jpg)
I went to a Drawing Jam this week led by the wonderful Cheryl Hamilton, a Vancouver-based sculptor, illustrator and creative. It was a gift to hear the reframe of drawing as an exercise in self-care – that felt resonant in so many ways – it is an act of kindness.
One of Cheryl's prompts was to draw skeletons with our eyes closed...
![](https://www.thereluctantillustrator.com/content/images/2023/12/skeleton-2-1.jpg)
Pessimism. The hottest year in recorded history.
The blind-drawn skeletons felt weirdly apt for this week of COP28, + the resumption of the bombing in Gaza (+ the ongoing yesterday's news of Ukraine + this calamity + that outrage). We continue to finger-point, and seem to be quite good at it...
![ccomposite Inner-Selfie](https://www.thereluctantillustrator.com/content/images/size/w1600/2023/12/brick-wall-small.jpg)
![](https://www.thereluctantillustrator.com/content/images/2023/12/2023Hottest12_CSI3_en_title_lg.png)
![](https://www.thereluctantillustrator.com/content/images/2023/12/image-1.png)
Optimism
It is probably best to remain an eye-closed believer in an as-yet-unknown future in the hands of as-yet-to-be-born happy kids, and hope for the best... along with a daily constitutional of a Buddhist Walking Meditation...
• in-breath: yes, yes, yes,
• out-breath: thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.
![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/631e6f86f088b043a02a6ac0/3b5d5fe7-5dbe-4ca3-aca8-de41c491d4f2/the+Optimist.jpg)
And for a chaser...
A gift of a collection of the most beautiful children's books, in the NYT/NY Public Library's Best of 2023.
Aspirational we remain.
![ccomposite Inner-Selfie](https://www.thereluctantillustrator.com/content/images/2023/12/NYT-illustration-2023.jpg)
As always, thanks for reading and indulging!
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