How I survived an 8 week digital detox

WHY I WANTED TO DO A DIGITAL DETOX

Before I decided to do this digital detox I was feeling very scattered, unfocused, overstimulated and bored at the same time.

I felt a lot of pressure to record everything I was doing and turn it into social media content. I was wrapped up in the hamster wheel of reels and bored scrolling - is anyone else feeling this?

It felt like I was trying to join a game of skipping double dutch. I kept watching these kids do tricks while skipping rope and I couldn’t find the right time to jump in. (Insert feelings of anxiety and disappointment)

I was tired of these feelings and also resented my “addiction” to my phone.  I’m always telling my kids to get off screens and do something “educational” so perhaps it was time for me to try the same.

HOW I PLANNED MY DIGITAL DETOX

Like any diet or new regime you need to start with some parameters (you see I said parameters and not “rules” because if I say “rules” I’m doomed before I start because I naturally want to break the rules I set)

My “parameters” were set with the goal of drastically reducing the use of social media (in my case IG and FB) and phone checking but not cut out all digital contact all together.  I still wanted to be able to text and get emails as I felt like I had these things under control and they either bring me joy or are essential to my business.

I timed this digital diet to begin in conjunction with a 2 week family vacation to the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. This trip was spent living on a boat and exploring the spectacular coves and shores of the Gulf Islands.

While we did have cell reception for a lot of our trip I chose to remove the option to use cellular data for all my social media apps so I couldn’t access IG or FB. I also set my phones to do not disturb for a large chunk of the day and all of the late evening.

AFTER THE FIRST 2 WEEKS

What I discovered was that when I went back to regular wifi city life i didn’t really want to go on IG and FB anymore. It was only when I was bored or anxious that I picked up the phone to scroll. And surprisingly what I found when I was looking at my feed is that I felt even more anxious and “FOMO-like”. I was comparing myself to everyone else’s business and instalife in a way that was very discouraging to me.

So I decided to continue the detox until it felt right to get back online. At a certain point I knew I would need to jump back in to keep my business and bank account happy. But until then I could enjoy the extra time I gained to do some of these things…

THINGS I WAS DOING INSTEAD OF SCROLLING

• Drawing in my sketchbook - I know it seems like I do this all the time but I don’t!

• Swimming - ocean dips are my therapy

• Staring at the sky - it’s addictive and trippy!

• Planning a fun night with friends - I miss dancing with my friends

• Learning new card games - so fun to teach your kiddos the love of games

• Sketching new painting ideas - planning for the fall when the weather is cool and the kids are in school

• Taking close up photos of shells and rocks - it’s research ;)

• Going for a run - training for a half marathon in the fall

• Cleaning - somehow this even seemed fun - ok well less “unfun”

• Started a new Geometrics painting series - coming to you in late fall

• Preparing more elaborate meals - I remembered I do love to cook

• Thinking about where I would like to move after my kids finish high school

• Business goal setting - distilling what is most important

• Planning a wild vacation that I may never go on - dream a little dream

• Thinking about eating Miss Vickies salt and vinegar chips

• Reading - mostly non fiction

• Listening to podcast - business, news and art pods

• Listening to new music - my playlists were very 2005 until now

• Eating Miss Vickies salt and vinegar chips - goal attained!

Tumbo Island British Columbia

WHAT NOW?

So here’s the trouble, I do like to be busy and social - it is my natural state of being. Social media really lends itself to numbing that little bit of anxious space you have in your day. It’s makes you feel like you are “doing” something when really you are not. That said, I do love keeping in touch with people and discovering new things thru a visual medium. I am quite dependent on social media for promoting and sharing my work.

So how do I integrate the good and the bad aspects of digital life into my reality as an artist and business owner?

How can you be present online without spending too much time online and falling back into the same scrolls routine?

Here’s what I have done to try to help myself:

Don’t say you have to stop 100% - this is something that always ends up in a sense of failure for me. I set a limit of a certain amount of minutes per day for each app on my phone.  This is what I will allow myself for “fun” scrolling and if I happen to be posting for a work related reason I will allow myself to extend this limit manually in small defined chunks of time.

I have tried to train people contact me via text or email instead of IG/FB dm.  I was spending a lot of responding and checking the dms and would find myself back on the app scrolling.

Planning lots of fun IRL activities so I don’t really notice that I am missing out on what’s happening in the social media world.  I mean let’s be honest, you couldn’t really join in all the things you see happening online anyway!

Not worrying about documenting and posting everything as I do it. Sometimes I just tell myself outloud “I am taking a photo of this in my mind - click” and then I release the obligation to record it.

Set goals/schedules for things that are not digital. 

Do your online work in defined blocks of time so there is a beginning and an end - this helps with focus as well.

Get your dopamine hit from something else - this time I have decided to train for a half marathon and will let the runners high fill my tank.

As an artist you are always challenging yourself to grow whether it be by trying a new medium, pushing your concepts forward, working outside of your comfort zone to solve technical or conceptual puzzles while continuing to do your own marketing on a shoestring budget.

There is no marked path for you to follow which is so exciting on one hard but paralyzing on the other. 

It’s easiest to repeat making the same work that is well received and puts food on the table but when an artist tires of this work they feel creatively empty and the yearning for a new challenge emerges. 

While we would love to control the creative mind sometimes we must just follow it and see where it takes us.  At times this leads to dead ends, disappointments and failures which is hard to accept but still a very necessary part of growth.

As you continue to grow in your artistic journey you start to recognize your rhythms and can listen to when it is time to move on to a new idea.

One of my biggest challenges has been focus and this detox helped me improve in this area. How I manage to keep the business side of social media working for me remains is to be seen. But I did enjoy 8 weeks without the interruptions of notifications, scrolling, dms and checking to be able put together full thoughts and longer form ideas. 

For the time being let’s remember Oscar Wilde’s wise words:

“Everything in moderation - including moderation”

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The Poetry project at Vancouver’s Gallery George connects painters and poets to create a meaningful show that showcases a wide cross-section of established and emerging talent.

Art and poetry meet again at the second Poetry Project Exhibition and Book Launch.

The exhibit is a collaborative project between Beedie Luminaries and ParkerArtSalon, with half the proceeds on art sales going to the Beedie Luminaries foundation (a post secondary scholarship program for youth facing financial adversity) .

Beedie Luminaries students were invited to participate in the Project by submitting a work of poetry, inspired by a selection of art provided by the ParkerArtSalon. The poems are be exhibited with the corresponding artwork by the Parker artists. The result makes for a stimulating juxtaposition of two completely different creative ventures.  It encourages the viewer to slow down as the words expand upon a visual idea, providing a more personal experience with the art.

Sculpture by Louise Weir, paintings by Gabriel Harrison and art by Lawrence Lowe

While the artists of ParkerSalon enjoy wide renown, the young students are at the beginning of life’s journey, and their poetry reflects a wide range of study and diversity. What is consistent, however, is the astonishing beauty and craft of the poetry they’ve produced, filled with insights, revelation, and sensitivity. Adults sometimes forget their younger selves and the incredible potential of the maturing mind. The ParkerArtSalon Poetry Project offers a reminder of this beautiful synergy of artistic minds.

A sleepless night for stars 2 (painting shown above with accompanying poem below)

How could they sleep?
Who could shut their eyes now
When the icy peaks had just begun
To wink their secrets

Whispering with a wintry wonder
Watch!

Swathed in starlight
Sky and summit
A symphony of silent heartbeats
Twinkling, echoing
Echoing

The night endures
And so they remain
Hung there
Held by the sight that struck them so

by Cadence Gau

The show runs until June 26, 2022

at Gallery George 1502 East Hastings Vancouver Canada

Hours: Wednesdays to Sundays, noon - 6pm or by appointment

A behind the scenes look at the making of Arleigh Wood’s downtown Vancouver mural

We all know that the pandemic really took a toll on hotels and downtown retail spaces but Warrington Property managers and the Vancouver Mural Festival had a vision to revitalize their spaces while supporting local talent.

Close to a dozen artists were commissioned to create murals in the interior of the mall transforming white walls into vibrant artworks that make your daily commute (back to the office) a lot more fun than pjs and zoom calls.

I loved being part of this project, bringing my colourful Geometric Series artwork to the public on a larger scale. You could say I’m hooked on “muraling” now!

We started with a digital mock up that would eventually be sized up to meet the 9 x 30 foot dimensions of the assigned wall.

All Paint colours were chosen - there were a lot of shades - luckily some paint I already had or was given to me. Supplies like my special tape and brushes were purchased and brought to the site.

The outlines of the triangles at the top were mapped out first with tape. It was at this point that I could see how the artwork was going to work on a larger scale. Time to check the proportions and make sure everything looked in balance.

Next up was the background dark blue and then sky details were adding in with layers of water-based spray paint.

After that the rest of the process is pretty much a gigantic paint by numbers where I follow the initial mockup to tell me where to place the next triangle and what colour to paint it.

Many triangles, rolls of tape and podcast episodes later the mural was complete and ready for mall wanderers to enjoy.

If you would like to commission a mural I’d love to chat - reach out here via email Arleigh

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My top 5 places to get you in the mood to make art

It’s no mystery that artists are inspired by their surroundings and I’m no exception. As a landscape inspired painter and photographer, travelling to new locations and exploring places in depth is essential to my creative process.

Here are some of my favourite spots:

1. Jokurlsarlon Glacial Lagoon, Iceland

Who can resist these angles and colour variations in the ice formations? Not me! This amazing spot has inspired many of the paintings in my Geometrics Series.

It was at Jokurlsarlon Glacial Lagoon that I saw a glacier calve up close for the first time (from a zodiac). The sound was thunderous and the waves that came afterwards were surprisingly large. It was at that moment, after witnessing climate change first hand that I vowed to make caring for the earth we live on a deep priority.

2. Smuggler’s Cove, Sunshine Coast Canada

Perspective is a funny little animal. I never realized how different the world appears from the water looking onto land.

It’s sort of like how when I learned to walk on stilts, I could see what it would be like to live as a tall person (something I my 5’2” self could never grasp). It’s actually pretty awesome up there.

I like to imagine what lies underneath these tiny islands, seeing shapes growing under the reflections like the deep ice formations under a glacier.

3. Whistler mountain, Canada

I just can’t resist the graphic black and white contrasts of winter on Whistler and Blackcomb mountain. It’s hard not to stop on every turn while skiing through this barren forest ski run. From ice caves to mountain peaks to the tiny details on a snowflake, Whistler has so much to offer the exploring artist. It’s just too bad it’s too chilly to stop and paint. (You can see me paint this scene in the studio here on Instagram!)

4. Kyoto, Japan

I have to be true to my Japanese roots here and appreciate how much Japan has influenced my work. From shrines to cherry blossoms, from woodblock prints to calligraphic brushstrokes it’s all infused into my art. Visiting Kyoto you will see an enchanting mix of the traditional and the modern that will make you want to slow down and contemplate the simple life.

5. Lynn Valley Headwaters, North Vancouver Canada

North Vancouver is where I call home now and during Covid there were many a trail to explore - on repeat. While hiking past ancient cedars, rushing riverbeds and snow capped mountains I came to truly appreciate the benefits of forest bathing.

I wrote this list on Earth Day with the hopes that you will be encouraged to make every day Earth Day. I also hope this gives you some ideas on how to ignite that creative spark through exploring new places while honouring the natural gifts we have been given. Let this be an invite to slow down, breath deeply and take note of the little things.

If you’d like to see more of my process and finished artwork follow me on Instagram or have a peek at my website.

xoArleigh

A step-by-step guide to hanging a gallery wall

Arleigh Wood’s eclectic collection of art over a long banquette in the dining room

I do love a good gallery wall. In fact I’m kind of obsessed with them. I’ve hung a ton of them and each one has its own personality.

What I love about gallery walls is that they are so unique and actually very easy to put together.

Are you nervous about putting up a gallery wall? Are you thinking about the hundred holes you’ll have to put in the wall to get the hanging right? Or maybe you don’t think you have enough interesting pieces to make a gallery wall.

Well fear not, my friend, if you have a bit of a plan and some of your favourite pieces to ready you’ll be good to go!

Let me know show you how…

Step 1 - The vision

Sharon Kemble’s sweet pad shows a great mix of work in mostly black, white and cool colours

Pick the space you want to decorate. It can be anywhere - your bedroom, an entryway, living room or home office. Any place you want to add some personality and colour.

Step 2 - The details

Measure the space and note it on your phone or in a notebook.

Step 3 - The artwork

Assemble your favourite pieces. You might need to pull out those prints you bought on your travels and get them in frames. Or maybe order an enlargement of a cool travel photo. You can even frame a memento like a train ticket, baby bootie or party invitation. Treat yourself to that artwork from a local artist that you’ve been wanting for a long time. An easy way to keep a cohesive look is to choose the same colour frame for most of the pieces. I usually go for white to allow for the artwork to shine and to keep a clean modern look. You may prefer natural wood frames or a selection of vintage frames would look amazing. Another way to pull it all together is too choose a colour scheme. You could go all black and white, or bright colours or natural tones. You don’t need to be super rigid here as its a gallery wall and meant to be ecclectic and fun but choosing the colours might help you narrow down your choices.

Step 4 - The install

Now that you have your artwork you are ready to map out the size of the wall on the floor

Step 5 - Start on the floor

Lay out the pieces on the floor within the confines of your measurements.

Start with the larger works as anchor pieces and work the smaller ones around the larger pieces. Think asymmetrical to allow the eye to travel around.

I find it easier to start with a large piece in the centre and then make balanced pairings on either side in progressively smaller sizes until the smallest works are on the edges.

This way you can add a few over time to fill in the wall as you collect more of your favourite things.

That said you can also go for a grid pattern if you prefer to keep things more symmetrical.

Take a reference photo when you are happy with your configuration (unicorn socks optional).

Step 6 - Get out the scissors

Cut out paper templates for each artwork and make a note of their title. I just traced the artwork with a pencil and then cut it them out but you can get out that long ruler if you like!

Step 7 - Tape it up

Hang the templates on the wall with painters tape or some removeable tape. This will give you the most accurate hanging set up.

Step 8 - Mark it up

Check the hanging on the back of each piece and mark on the wall with a pencil where the nail should be placed.

Step 9 - Get out your hammer

Remove the templates and hammer in the nails/hangers

Step 10 - The reward

Straighten the frames, mix yourself a cocktail, stand back and admire your new gallery wall.

You did it!

Happy hanging~