Introduction

Drawing has always come naturally to me. Ever since I was little, I can remember myself drawing. My favorite color at the time was red. So I drew everything in red. My parents often tell me about the time I got a coloring book and colored every single page entirely red.
I was always drawing, even when I wasn’t supposed to. I remembered a lot of times when I was scolded in class by the teacher for drawing instead of listening. I was never really good at school. I’ve always been pretty slow and often didn’t understand things as fast as my classmates. I still clearly remember sitting in math class not understanding anything that was being explained. Those were the moments when I drifted off into my own world. While the teacher was talking, I imagined all kinds of stories. I didn’t write them down, but I drew them in my notebook above the margins. So from grade 1 (groep 3) all the way to now, the margins of my notebooks have been filled with ideas, faces, and stories.
Even when it wasn’t always allowed or expected, I’ve always found a way to create my own space to be creative. In my mind, and in the world around me. Even now while I am writing this, I notice how difficult it is for me. To write down what is in my hand on my laptop, while I am typing I have my sketchbook next to me and I notice how easy drawing is for me. I draw the faces of the people in the library sitting in front of me, so I will remember them forever. This is how I have always processed and documented the world around me.
Right now, I’m in the process of redeveloping myself, not just as an illustrator, but also as someone who wants to create a platform for people to draw and be creative together. I’m not yet sure what form that will take. Whether it’s a teacher at a school, a workshop facilitator, or someone working in a museum.
With this project, I want to explore how to encourage and make a space for people who don’t draw often, who might feel uncomfortable drawing, or even have a fear of it, to start drawing in a way that feels fun and safe. My goal is to eventually apply everything I learn to my future career.

Space

One of the things I want to explore is how to create a safe space—one where people feel free to create without judgment or fear.
Merriam-Webster defines space as “an uninterrupted area, which is free, untaken, or unfilled.” Space is a place where, for a moment, nothing is happening—and that makes it the perfect environment for creativity to emerge.
But in today’s busy world, these kinds of uninterrupted spaces are becoming increasingly rare. We often fill them with distractions like social media.
With my project, I hope to create a space where creativity has room to grow. A moment of stillness where people can truly focus, without interruption.

Participants

Before I can start creating these spaces, there’s a lot that needs to be prepared. First of all, I need to find the people who want to participate. I already know a few friends who would like to join. Especially my dear friend Dieuwertje, who has actually been a big inspiration for this project. While I was working through my ideas, I had a long conversation with Dieuwertje about it. For a while, I felt like the things I was making wouldn’t have an audience. But she reminded me that many people no longer engage in creative activities during their free time, simply because they don’t know when or how to make space for it anymore. Another thing we talked about is how we sometimes feel like people from our age (22-23) have a hard time meeting new people. At this time we are graduating so it is hard to meet new people since it feels like we are slowly settling in our social circles. Another factor is that we started our studies during the pandemic. Sometimes I still wonder what kind of people I might have met, or what kind of social skills I might have developed. If things had been different. Maybe I wouldn’t feel as lonely as I sometimes do now.
After doing some research, I found that many people my age are struggling with similar feelings. Studies show that during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, levels of stress and depression increased significantly among young people. But even before the pandemic, there was already a steady rise in mental health issues among youth. In fact, over the past twenty years, performance pressure among young people has more than doubled.
One way I can find participants is through friend of friends, Through this I am sure I can find at least 4 people to join



Making of the material

While doing my minor, I noticed that collaborative assignments work really well with people who don’t draw very often. It’s often simply more fun to do something together with someone else. Working as a pair or group also helps lower the personal bar people set for themselves, especially when they realize that the other person also struggles with something or isn’t “perfect” at it either.
I also noticed that these kinds of assignments are easier to come up with for me.


Making of the concept


I also still have the idea of starting some kind of WhatsApp group, where everyone continues to share drawings after the sessions. Maybe one small drawing a day. It might be a bit of a challenge, since participants would need to find time in their own schedule to draw. But I think it could work, especially if the group isn’t just made up of close friends. If I also encourage and guide them a bit, the structure might help. It actually reminds me of the two book clubs I’ve been part of. The first one was with my best friends, we met twice, and then never again. The second was with people who were basically strangers to me, but I’m still in that group. And because I don’t feel I can be too casual with them, I always make sure to read the books on time. That sense of accountability might be the key.
https://www.nemokennislink.nl/publicaties/gen-z-en-mentale-gezondheid-watskeburt/
https://www.staatvenz.nl/kerncijfers/eenzaamheid
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=expressive_dissertations
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-90851-x


What’s next?



Elementary school:

High school:

Adult groups:

My first try out group will be with three people.