It’s spring and with the warmer weather comes hope… more people vaccinated, easing of restrictions and the prospect of being social again! The first time I met a non-relative, a few of weeks ago, I was actually nervous! Could I string words together? Could I survive a whole afternoon out of the house? Of course, it was fine in real life but the lengthy lockdown can make us feel more introverted (at least, more than the usual). Then there is the issue of having not been up to much so what is there to talk about?!

But not all of life has been on standstill whilst we think time has stopped.. In the last twelve months, I’ve gotten to know a new baby niece, missed a spontaneous wedding and lost elderly members of my extended family. However, if there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s appreciating what we have and the people around us.

As London opens up again, I’m realising just how organised people have become! Places are already booked out for weeks and even secret (not so secret) exhibitions are sold out for pretty much the whole year. A cottage holiday in July? Think again. I haven’t been in a mad rush to be out and about as soon as we could. But I have missed seeing my friends and am looking foward to doing more again, dressing up, checking out new places, doing cultural stuff..

I think once the novelty wears off a little and restrictions ease, it won’t be so tricky getting a booking nor will we always want to. We are craving the social part of our lives currently, but more importantly, we are craving balance. And for artists, the freedom also brings more opportunities of inspiration and creativity. I instantly have so many more ideas when I’m out and about, wandering, talking to different people, seeing new things, ideas to then bring back home and experiment with through illustration and new greeting cards. So as much as anything else, I guess, that is what the easing means to me