Steps

Samantha Humphreys

Digital Print, Fine liner and Graphite
2023

[Steps] is a collection of thoughts and reflections that were borne from my walks I undertake each day to keep my mind healthy. In early 2021 I found my mental health starting to really dip, walking is then only way I can combat this particularly as medications don't permit me to take anti depressants. I am now maybe slightly addicted to my walks, it is my only true me' time. I listen to audio books of all kinds of genres and have learned to block out anything else.

They relate to the theme of 'Bloom' as, in addition to the obvious use of photographs of natural materials, the artwork is organic, I wrote the words as they came, rather than drafting and editing, it resembles a journal entry rather than formal artwork because the piece could be considered the result of a performance, the walk, the photos, the blossoming of drawings and words.

I examine the poetry in which creativity and wellbeing exist, particularly since our recent chance to reflect on why nurturing and exercising the mind is as beneficial as watching what we eat and burning fat. I walk a lot. I noticed I can train my mind to allow only certain thoughts in, the thoughts that are only in the moment. It is widely accepted that there are links between nature and good mental health so it’s unsurprising that the thoughts allowed in are relating to my immediate environment. While I walk and the clean air clears my head, words and sentences dance and play.