Coffee Shop Fridays

When the third wave of the pandemic reached its worst last winter, I found myself longing to sit in a cafe, to drink tea and sketch or write.  Just to be around people as I used to do was a dream.  

So, I dressed up in an artsy black dress and boots, put on the tea kettle, and poured myself a hot Moroccan Mint Green Tea.  I even used a paper cup -- a relic of holding in-person open studios before the pandemic.  

I found coffee shop music on YouTube, set out my acrylic paints and paper, and embarked on an evening of playing with my paints.  Hours drifted by, and I was surprised by what came out of my paintbrush.  

Some weeks, it was abstract art in black and white.  Sometimes, it was collage pieces.

And, sometimes, it was more colorful or realistic.

With the leftover paint on my palette, I felt free to experiment.

I have heard other artists talk about the process of creating in an art journal, and the way that certain types of images just showed up as if out of nowhere.  I didn't think that would happen for me.  But Coffee Shop Friday Nights made things pop out that I didn't know were inside me.  And I enjoyed every bit of the process.

One day soon, I will be able to return to a coffee shop and spend an hour sketching people or writing, or chatting with a dear friend, even.  But I may just keep having my own Coffee Shop Friday Nights for the sake of self-care, exploration and play.