Sketching at Karioitahi Beach

It’s been a while since I’ve taken my sketchbook outside, and honestly, I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it until I found myself at Karioitahi Beach on a cloudy day. Getting outdoors to sketch during a New Zealand summer can be tough unless you can find some shade, and Karioitahi offers none. So, the cloud cover that day was actually ideal.

The beach was unusually quiet, with only the sound of the waves, the wind, and Pip—who was beyond excited to be out there with me. I found a big log to perch on and pulled out my sketchbook, without any grand plans, just the simple desire to capture something.

There’s something special about sketching outdoors. It’s a completely different experience from working in the studio. In the studio, I have all the control and comfort I need, but out there, everything’s in motion—the wind, the changing light, and the natural sounds around me. It’s a reminder of how important it is to pause, take in the environment, and just be with the scene in front of me.

I packed my art materials in a hurry—it was a spur-of-the-moment idea, so I was limited in what I had with me. But that actually made the experience more enjoyable. When you’re working with just what’s at hand, you have to be resourceful, and it’s a great way to push your creativity.

I didn’t have any expectations for the sketch—no pressure to make it “perfect” or to turn it into something bigger. It was just about making marks on paper, capturing the moment, and reconnecting with the act of sketching itself. I forget sometimes how much I need moments like that—just me, my sketchbook, and the world around me.

As I move into 2025, I’m realizing more and more that these simple, quiet moments of creativity help me reset, clear my mind, and recharge. I’m definitely going to be making time for more of them this year.

 

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