Cath Sheard Art

Blog

  • Taboo! #BlogJune 5

    We sing along to songs on the radio about drugs and sex, watch all kinds of things on tv. Yet there are still things society tends not to talk about and poo is one of them, so is death and dying.

    Once you start dealing with both chronic and acute illness, serious pain relief, and the slow process of dying you realise there’s nothing sacred any more. Ever asked your significant other if it’s taking them ages to pee? Checked if they badly constipated again? Or cleaned up a poo puddle because the meds went too far the other way?

    At the start of a relationship it’s all sweet words and date nights. Lovely! Then something happens and you’re dealing with medical issues. Over the years both Tony and I’ve had serious health stuff happen, and we’ve both done the nursing.

    Now it’s my time to nurse him, and some days it’s hard. Really hard. But, after nearly 30 years, we can talk about poo, pain, death and dying. Fun? No, yet it’s also ok. The conversations matter, and sometimes there are tears, but I’d rather we talked than I had to guess. I just wish more people talked about the hard stuff.

  • Stress hands! #BlogJune 4

    When Tony and I were Mum’s carers she was in and out of hospital a lot. Nurses would greet me by name in the supermarket. It could be stressful juggling Mum, work, newspaper, art and daily life.

    For some reason I find polishing my nails soothing. I don’t generally do them because paint sticks to the polish; my hands are artist’s tools so the nails get a hard time.

    This week has been difficult. (edit – this is yesterday’s post which I didn’t get a chance to post) For the first time in a very long time – possibly years – I’ve polished my nails. And, yes, the blue polish already has tiny flecks of orange on it.

  • Play time

    There’s nothing like a little play time in my journals to restore my equilibrium! This layout is in my small Dylusions journal and used the Dina Wakley words collage tissue, and Dylusions paints and collage collections.

    #BlogJune 2021

  • Words are tricky

    I love listening to spoken words poets such as Shane Koyczan, this is the link to his poem ‘More often than sometimes’. I enjoy their ability so speak without tripping over their words, something I’ve never quite mastered. I’ve never let it worry me much mind you; I’ve spoken at conferences and co-present on communication and teamwork as part of my job.

    More importantly, I admire their capacity to talk openly about hard stuff in beautiful ways. One of the things I realised as part of the mental health work I’ve done post-weight loss surgery, is there are so many things I just can’t talk about. Things I won’t say. Words I have smothered with food.

    In the last 2 1/2 years I’ve found ways to say some of it, either in writing (in its many forms) or whispered quietly, as though turning down the volume lessens the feelings of shame. Shame … one of the feelings often at the heart of food addiction like mine.

    Words are tricky – my art journals allow me to pour out my feels in pictures and paint, leaving those tricky, slippery words aside for another day.

    .

  • Can I? Should I?

    It’s June 1st and that means #BlogJune and a month of committing pen to paper … or finger to iPad. I used to blog most days, particularly when I was doing my art qualification. These days, I tend to use Twitter more, as it’s where my professional networks are.

    Why do I still blog, and attempt #BlogJune? For me, blogging is a good way to slow down and think about things. Extroverts tend to “talk it through to think it through”. Introverts tend to think it through, then talk. For me, I’m more likely to write if I want to share, or art journal if it’s just for me.

    There’s a lot going on for Tony and I at the moment, and blogging will be a good way for me to clarify what’s going on in my head. Although no doubt some of it will only be getting committed to my art journals, which are more private. Will I manage to blog every day? Who knows, but I’m happy to give it a go. Want to join me?