Today, on August 19th, as I celebrate my birthday and another trip around the sun, I’m reflecting on the small joys that make life so special. The little things that deserve our gratitude, and the acts of kindness that stack up.
This is likely because I’ve been delving back into The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. It’s balm for my soul, especially his words about art as a practice:
“We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.”
And there are ways to not only capture nature, but to engage with it meaningfully—in the little ways that stack up as an artist.
This year, one of my favourite acts has been spending time with a charm of goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis). They started visiting my garden, right outside my studio window, back in March.
At first, a new sunflower feeder hung forlornly, untouched and unloved. A little gesture of hope, I guess. I’d check it, but it was clear no one had visited. Yet I waited.
Then, one or two vibrant red faces appeared, which spiralled as word spread fast! This feeder was packed with niger and sunflower seeds, and the goldfinches began arriving daily. They swooped in as pairs or small groups for a nibble.
Their antics have been a source of happiness in a year littered with bereavement, loss, and constant recalibration. At times, it’s been a challenge to maintain my art practice. To be able to sit still, concentrate, and lose myself, as memories and grief would wait for me.
That single feeder, though, was a calling to come to my art desk anyway. The goldfinches visited daily and in all kinds of weather, holding on for dear life as the blustering salt marsh winds pushed them around.
The visiting pairs of goldfinches soon became little fluffy families. I believe that one well-stocked feeder has had the immense privilege of helping to support subsequent broods, too. The small babies would visit with tatty-looking adults, growing and disappearing, before more would arrive. These little ones were often seen bouncing along the ground beneath the feeder, cleaning up under the watchful eye of their tired parents.
While some goldfinches migrate for the winter, others, like our little family, will stay put if they have a reliable food source. Their presence has been a testament to the power of small actions. It’s heartening to know that these once-threatened birds are now of “Least Concern” for conservation because of these small garden acts.
My visitors have become the feature of my Nature Sketchbook, with a dedicated double-page spread to document them. You can probably see from my notes that this summer has been hard on our wildlife. The signs of stress and an early autumn have been a recent topic of discussion in the news, as highlighted in this BBC article.
The Met Office says this summer is on track to be one of the warmest since records began in 1884. Last month, Lancashire was said to be in a drought, with the average rainfall for the season lower than it should be. Climate change is affecting the timing of biological events, including spring and autumn, which may lead to less food for the birds as the year continues.
While that’s hard to read and to see in my own garden (the blackberries have already come and gone, for example), there is hope in knowing that I can make a positive and hopefully lasting impact on the things I can control in my own little space outside.
Right, it’s time to go enjoy some celebratory cake and new art supplies. Back next week!
