Cath Sheard Art

Blog

  • Inspired by…. #BlogJune 6

    This multi-page spread in my Dina Wakley journal was inspired by Niamh Baly. I’m an avid follower and often find myself inspired by her, but this was a more direct inspiration than normal. Tony’s had a few rough days – that is another day’s post – so I spent a lot of today working on this while he slept in the lazyboy behind me. I used Dina Wakley paint, stamps, printed tissue and a page from her Collage Collective book. The quote is one I saw on FB that seemed appropriate, given all the support we’re getting at the moment. I’m pleased with how this turned out and glad I put the time into it.

  • 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.

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