Creative explorations Vol 25: Memory
A sketchbook/art journal prompt to support your art and creative practice.
One month ago, on this date, my beloved cat Loki crossed over the rainbow bridge. The husband and I will mark this day by spending some time saying a little prayer for Loki, reminiscing on our favorite memories of him and going through photographs from our 12 wonderful years together. And I hope to pick up my art supplies and create something in memory of Loki this month, too.
So for this month’s prompt, I thought we’d explore MEMORY.
Memories come in many flavors — from the sweet and happy ones to the nostalgic and bittersweet ones and the ones that can still move us to tears. Having a way to give form to our memories, be it through paint or words, music or weaving, can be not just cathartic but also a joyous expression.
Let’s see how we can explore MEMORY in our sketchbooks, and perhaps beyond!
Resources + ideas
Atmospheric recollections: As artists, many of us draw from life or from reference photos. Some of us also draw on our intuition, allowing our hands and paints to flow across the canvas without trying to overly control or direct the painting. But for this prompt, let’s explore drawing from memory.
You can use a singular memory or event, or draw on a collection of memories, say from childhood, or from an event that had special meaning or significance for you. Use your memories to come up with a list of colors, feelings, symbols, even line work or drawings to use in your final piece.
Everyday objects: In our fast-paced, use-and-throw culture, we often overlook the ordinary, everyday objects that surround us, that make up our sense of place, that are connected, perhaps, to family or tradition. What everyday objects around you are connected with memories, with identity, maybe even with family? And how can you explore those objects in your art? Take a look at some images from an installation project called “Memory in Matter” for some ideas and inspiration.
A box full of memories: Create a memory box filled with photographs and other keepsakes. These boxes can serve many purposes, as a bridge between generations — a way to preserve family traditions, stories, and values; a collection of favorite family recipes or photographs; and even as a way to navigate grief. You can buy a box for this purpose, or better yet, repurpose an old shoe box by painting it or personalizing it with some handmade papers.
Memory journal: Create a journal dedicated to the memory of a beloved family member, friend, or pet. Fill it with photographs, special memories, and keepsakes. Maybe even a letter to the person or pet it’s dedicated to. You can also create a memory journal dedicated to a particularly important memory, like a wedding, the birth of a child or grandchild, or a visit to a dream destination.
Inspiration corner: Explore memories of the past, memories of people and fading memories to see how artists recall and reminisce in art in this guide by the Tate. Explore the art of New Delhi-based painter Arpita Singh’s six-decade-long career through a collection of her complex, multilayered pieces that pull from her memories, and are at once personal, social and political. And read this interview with Becky Moon on the Art of Memory that links art and philosophy — quite an interesting and innovative pairing!
I look forward to seeing your take on this prompt! You can email your finished pieces to me on shinjinim@substack.com or share them on Notes if you use the Substack app. If you share on Instagram, tag me @moderngypsy.in
Like this prompt? Share it with your friends and invite them into our virtual studio. If you’re on the Substack app, you can tap on the like button or restack to Notes to let me know you enjoyed this post.
I'm really so sorry for your loss of Loki. There's something particularly tender about marking that one-month anniversary with art and memory. The way you describe planning to honor him through creative work speaks to how art can hold what words sometimes can't.
Your memory prompt feels especially meaningful right now. I've been thinking lately about how our creative practices can become repositories for the people and experiences we don't want to lose. In my own work with depression, I've found that making something with my hands - whether it's crocheting or collage - always helps me process grief in a way that feels more gentle than just thinking about it or trying to write about it.
The idea of drawing from memory rather than reference photos really appeals to me. There's something about working from that internal landscape that captures not just how things looked but how they felt. I'm imagining creating something about my father, who died a couple years ago, and how different that would be from working from a photograph of him.
Your suggestion about everyday objects connected to memory particularly resonates. I have his old corduroy pants that I wore for a week straight after he died and now I can't bring myself to wear them at all ... but maybe I could draw them, or write about it, or somehow honor the weight they carry. Sometimes the most ordinary things hold the deepest connections.
Thank you for creating space for others to explore their own memories through art. That feels like a gift, especially during your own time of grief.