24 September 2025: How I See the World
Mae says I have to write this blog because “people need to understand how your mind works, Isla.” She also said, “Don’t be weird about it.” Which is funny, because being weird about things is sort of my specialty.
Anyway, here it is. My attempt to explain how I see the world when I draw.
A puddle isn’t just a puddle—it might be the whole ocean trying to fit into a small space. A cloud might be a whisper from the sky, shaped like a memory. I like finding meanings in things other people walk past. It’s like decoding a secret language only dreamers understand. Colours talk to me. The red of a sunset feels like someone shouting with joy. The blue of the lake is like a lullaby. Textures are like emotions you can touch. I don’t just draw what I see—I draw what I feel when I see it. Mae says I have “heightened empathy.” That sounds very grown-up. But I do feel things deeply. If someone’s sad, I can almost hear it in the air. I put those feelings into my drawings. It’s like painting the invisible. Sometimes I imagine trees turning into giants who guard the forest. Or rivers that speak in forgotten languages. I build worlds in my head and invite people in through my art. It’s like opening a door to somewhere magical. I ask questions that don’t always have answers. Like: “What do the stars dream of?” Or: “Why does laughter sound different in a crowd?” My drawings try to answer those questions—without using words. Drawing helps me say things I can’t explain out loud. It’s not just about making something pretty. It’s about understanding the world—and helping the world understand me.
If you see a puddle today, maybe look twice. It might be an ocean in disguise.
Love,
Isla
(written under protest, with Mae hovering like a hawk)
1 June 2025: My sister Mae made me write this blog. In the end I just sent her a mental message for her to type out on her iPad for me and upload it here. I told her to write down exactly what I said, and she did! You’d expect nothing less, I suppose. Anyway, I would rather be out in the beauty of the fells in the Lake District than writing blogs. I love to draw and paint (please see the illustrations I did for my family for each of their blogs). I have a huge selection of artists’ materials. I try my best to read people and places for their innermost beauty – which doesn’t always work out, I can tell you. Some people’s faces tell some unhappy stories sometimes. I would say that I am curious and creative. My sister says I am too emotional! Ha Ha Ha. I would say my main strength is my eyesight, as I can see very fine detail at long distances. I read Mae’s blog and she goes on about her rules (Ha Ha Ha). I have only one rule – “if it’s natural, it’s beautiful! (actually some things are “icky!”).
Mae says I have to tell you my way of looking at things when I am out drawing, so here goes:
- Connection Through Symbols: I try to see deeper meaning in everyday objects—a puddle might symbolize the vastness of an ocean, and the shape of a cloud might tell a story. I like to explore metaphors and abstract connections others might overlook.
- Vibrant, Layered Reality: Colours, shapes, and textures are to me more than just visual elements. To me, the world is alive with aesthetic inspiration—the red of a sunset might evoke feelings of passion, while the blues of water might spark thoughts of serenity.
- Emotionally Tuned Awareness: My sister Mae says I have a heightened empathy. A very fancy word! But I do sense emotions in the people around me and channel those feelings into my art—a reflection of the world’s joys, sorrows, and mysteries.
- Limitless Imagination: To me, the boundaries between reality and imagination blur. I see trees turning into giants, or rivers speaking a forgotten language. I often create worlds that exist only in my mind, and through my art, I invite others to experience them.
- Curiosity and Wonder: I tend to ask questions not just about the tangible but the intangible. “Why does laughter sound different in a crowd?” or “What do the stars dream of?” My art often seeks answers where words cannot.
- Empowerment Through Expression: My art is a way to communicate feelings and ideas that (says Mae) I struggle to articulate in other ways. It’s not just about creating—it’s about understanding and being understood.
