Keeping a Journal Practice: London, Bath, Kew Gardens & Hyde Park
Every time Lim and I visit London, I arrive with the best intentions. I imagine long walks, sketching in parks, visiting museums, and documenting everything along the way. But I've noticed something about myself: I often resist journaling when I'm traveling. Between getting sick soon after we arrived and being away from my studio (my favorite place to create), it was difficult to get started.
I also noticed that once I pushed through that initial resistance and made a few marks on the page, I found my rhythm again. By the end of the trip, I had created a few tiny handmade journals that I'm so grateful to have as keepsakes of my time in London.
Walpole Park
One of my favorite places in London is Walpole Park, just a short walk from my in-laws' home where we stay each visit. Over the years, it has become part of my London routine. Walking its familiar paths, people watching and enjoying the gardens, trees and the very well behaved dogs (all off leash!), always brings me a sense of contentment.
A short visit to Bath rounded out the beginning of our trip (which is where both Lim and I came down with different illnesses).
A Visit to Kew Gardens
I probably should have stayed home that day since I still wasn't feeling well, but I had plans to meet a dear friend, and I'm so glad I went. What I didn't know before arriving was that Kew Gardens was hosting an exhibition of Henri Moore's work. I knew his large bronze sculptures, but I wasn't familiar with much beyond that.
Seeing his sculptures throughout the gardens was wonderful, but what stayed with me most were the galleries filled with his drawings, sketchbooks, and sculptural studies. As someone who loves seeing an artist's process, I found those just as inspiring as the finished work. It's a good reminder that every finished piece begins with observation, experimentation, and many small sketches.
A Walk Through Hyde Park
The next day, during one of the brief windows when I actually felt well, I met my sister for a walk through Hyde Park. One of the best parts of visiting London is that she lives a hop, skip and a jump away from the park and it's become one of my favorite London traditions.
We stopped for tea at The Orangery before visiting the David Hockney exhibition at the Serpentine North Gallery. Since this visit, David Hockney has passed away, which makes the experience feel even more meaningful looking back.
Although Henri Moore and David Hockney worked in different mediums, they shared a deep appreciation for trees and the landscape. As someone who also finds endless inspiration in trees, that connection has continued to influence my journal entries since returning home.
My sister shared this video about the Hockney exhibition if you'd like to learn more.
Tiny Journals, Lasting Inspiration
Instead of filling one sketchbook with everything from the trip, I dedicated one tiny handmade journal to each meaningful experience. When I returned home, I painted their covers, expanded on my sketches, and continued exploring ideas inspired by both Henri Moore and David Hockney. These journals have become a place where I can collect observations and memories, as well as starting points for new work.
Creativity Doesn't Wait for Perfect Circumstances
This trip reminded me that a creative practice doesn't have to wait until life feels settled. It doesn't require the perfect studio, endless energy, or uninterrupted time. Sometimes it begins with a small notebook tucked into your bag, a walk through a park, or a quick sketch made on a day when you're not feeling your best. As I move through a season of change, these tiny journals are becoming an important part of how I continue making art, wherever I am.
I've shared two videos from this trip on my YouTube channel, and in my next video I'll share more about how I'm using handmade journals—and the same limited art supplies I packed for London—to keep my creative practice going, even when life looks different than expected.
Thanks for joining me on this journey. I hope it reminds you that creativity doesn't have to be perfect to be meaningful. Sometimes all we have to do is begin.