Week 1

The first week felt like standing at the edge of a forest, hesitant but curious. I began with Emma, my niece and muse, letting her spirited nature guide my pencil. Her inquisitive gaze along with her inexhaustible imagination became the heartbeat of this story. I wanted her to be both magical and familiar, a mirror of childhood wonder.

Helen Oxenbury’s work grounded me. Her mastery of simplicity whispered, You don’t need to draw everything; just draw enough. Her use of white space instilled within me that absence can speak volumes, allowing for the viewer’s imagination to roam. Glaringly the words of Jostein Gaarder from Sophie’s World echoed in my mind: “The only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder.” It is this sense of wonder that became my north star as I sketched and drew Emma, balancing her vulnerability with quiet strength.