Winter can be a difficult time for me as I navigate chronic fatigue and longstanding SAD (seasonal affective disorder). But I’ve learned that the rhythm of the seasons can also be a guide, a way to create structure, meaning, and light in the darker months.
This year I’ve designed a Seasonal Daily Art Practice to carry me through autumn, winter, and into spring. I’m calling it “My Creative Hug”. It’s not about producing a finished series or putting pressure on myself. Instead, it’s about staying curious, and creating little fragments of art that gradually accumulate.
The practice has three layers:
Daily anchor — one mindful image or sketch, paired with a single word or phrase. A simple ritual to ground me each day.
Weekly theme — words like Serendipity, Sanctuary, Liminal, Roots, or Shadows will give me a prompt for noticing the world.
Monthly anchor project — something slower and deeper, like a “continuing painting” I layer into week by week, or revisiting themes from Avebury and Forton Lake.
By spring, I’ll have gathered a body of fragments: small studies, photographs, sound drawings, reflections. Together, they will form a quiet record of this winter, not a polished outcome, but a living journal of my curiosity.
I’m sharing this not only to keep myself accountable, but also because I believe creativity is one of the best ways to walk through difficult seasons. Maybe my plan will spark something for you too, a reminder that winter can be a time of rich creativity.
I’ll be posting regularly on Instagram (@ailsabrims) and here, and invite you to join me if this feels like something that would interest you too.
I created this just for me, but I would love company – sign up for monthly encouragement and inspiration here>
Ailsa Brims Art 
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