Back in March, I was involved in a car accident. not the sort where you back into something and then castigate yourself for days for breaking your rear lights. No this one was a full head on collision and we were lucky to get out of it alive. However, initially I didn't feel so lucky. I didn't care much about the bruises or the big black eye and nasty cut that kept bleeding on my face. I was just entirely shook up and a knee injury that took away my mobility sorely tested my patience.
For the first time in years, I was off sick from a full time job with a lot of time on my hands. Initially my concentration was appalling and I couldn't deal with the even slightest of things. if someone asked me a question, I would look at them vacantly. If someone asked me to do something that I didn't feel too confident of, I would cry. Sometimes, I would cry anyway because I hurt!
I felt like I had changed from an easy, confident person to a jibbering wreck. At time I also got very angry with myself because every time I visited the Doctors/Consultants, I would see people in a far worse state than me!
My partner was wonderfully supportive and despite having injuries of his own, he looked after me in those intial weeks with great care and attention (and I suspect, some frustration). Thankfully my sense of humour remained intact and the emotional, scary feelings wore off. My art also came to my rescue.
I decided if I couldn't concentrate for too long that I would make some small art pieces. So I set about little projects. First of all I made some little art cards.
They were all only tiny and none of them took too long, I kept them about the size of Artist Trading Cards ATC's.
Then I proceeded to find some accompanying quote or little poems to go with them. I even found myself delving into the depths of my memory and recalling small poems from when I was a child. I put them all into a little pamphlet and called it Art Therapy.
With a little help from Photoshop, I played with some of my artwork for the first time ever. Then I sent it to a few of my blogging friends. What was really lovely was that some of them sent me little projects of their own, ranging from wonderful ATC's to other small book projects which arrived from all over the world. I received some conventional art, some abstract art and even a zentangle, which I had never heard of. All of it inspired me to try something different.
Thankfully the headaches started to dimish especially after a short break into the sun. I also met up with some artist friends whilst there which really did take the focus off what was wrong and put it back on things to do. One of them has been telling me to put together a book, which has sort of grasped my imagination...
At this point, my concentration seemed to return. I had almost got set in my ways prior to the accident and was turning out pet portraits in coloured pencil, pretty much exclusively. I have recently finished an oil painting promised to someone, dabbled in acrylics, done some sketching and pulled out some gouache for the first time in over a year. I have even completed two landscapes which is unheard of!
It seems that the constraints of my mobility has been countered by an unrestrained part of my creativity. I am rather enjoying the journey..........and contemplating a book! 
