What Is Growing Around You
Sitting at the worktable and thinking about emerging from the cold of winter and stepping into spring and how that often brings a mix of weather. In my area, that means everything from pouring rain to temperatures that shift from freezing to unexpectedly warm. It can feel a little unpredictable, almost like the season is still deciding what it wants to be. If mood swings were a season…they would be spring.
At the same time, something else begins to happen. Life starts to return and quietly build. Flowers begin to bloom, plants push their way up through the soil, and wildlife prepares for their newest offspring. There is a sense of movement and growth happening all around.
Worktable Small Spark
Spring can be a busy season, and it’s easy for creative time to slip to the side. My own schedule tends to fill quickly with school events, activities, and everything that comes with this time of year. It can feel like there’s no room left for creative work, or that it would be better to wait until things slow down.
But creativity does not always need large stretches of time or perfect conditions. Sometimes it is enough to pause for a few minutes and give your attention to something simple. A small act of noticing and making can help you stay connected, even when life feels full. Creative block feeds off time, the longer you let it fester the harder it is to start.
This week is about keeping things approachable. Rather than setting aside time for a finished piece, we are focusing on observation and allowing that to be enough. The goal is not to create something polished, but to spend a little time looking closely at what is already around you.
Prompt:
Draw something that is currently growing around you. Keep it simple and focus on observation.
Ways to Approach:
Keep It Simple: Draw one plant using basic shapes
Add a Twist: Draw it twice (quick + slow)
Stretch It: Turn it into a motif or repeat
From My Sketchbook:
For this prompt, I spent a little time looking at the white blossoms growing at a nearby school. I googled them and discovered they are ornamental pear trees. After snapping a few photos I started by sketching them as simply as I could. Instead of worrying about making them perfect, I focused on noticing their overall shape first. I broke each flower down into basic forms, beginning with a center circle and lightly mapping out the petals, I also like to use a guide sheet under the one I’m drawing on. Below is an image of the quick guides I drew to use for this prompt.
Once I had a little practice under my belt, I started drawing each flower with a little more detail. With my first sheet I was moving quickly and getting the loose shape of the flower, but with page two I slowed down and took time to notice the position of the petals, and the fine detail of the stamen.
What I liked most about this process was how approachable it felt. It did not require a big plan or a lot of time. It was simply a chance to observe something growing, study its shapes, and let that be enough. By the end, I could already see how this kind of sketch could become a motif. I decided to take mine into illustrator to vectorize them and played around with a few motif options. Let me know you favorite in the comments.
Why This Helps:
Busy seasons can make it feel like there is no room for creativity, and it becomes easy to set it aside with the intention of coming back later. Over time, that distance can make it harder to begin again.
Taking a few minutes to notice and draw something that is already growing around you helps keep that connection in place. It lowers the barrier to starting and removes the expectation that you need time, energy, or a perfect idea to create.
Working from observation also shifts your focus outward. Instead of trying to come up with something new, you are responding to what is already there. This can make the process feel more natural and less pressured, while still building your skills and awareness.
Small moments like this can help creativity remain part of your routine, even when life feels full. And when your schedule does begin to open up again, you are not starting from scratch, you are simply continuing.
Until Next Week:
April is Earth Month, and with Earth Day just around the corner, it can be a good time to step outside and spend a few moments noticing what is happening around you. Try looking a little closer, especially at the small details that are easy to miss when you are moving quickly.
Let the pressure go and keep it simple. One small sketch is enough. And if inspiration starts to build, you can always return and explore it further in your own way.
If you try this prompt, I would love to see what you create so we can celebrate those small observations together. I will meet you back at The Worktable next week.
♥️ Kelly
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