These past few weeks I have been making marks. Marks on paper, on canvas, on tea bags, on paper bags, in journals, on walls, and in my garden. I made the marks with paint and pen, pencil and crayon, marker and ink, flowers and leaves, rakes and shovels and dirt. These marks are tangible, visible traces of my daily activities and my art.

Like all beings, we mark our way through life, leaving traces of ourselves behind for others to find – or not. Walking among the gardens here on our little homestead, I am always looking for marks, for evidence, for patterns. Each mark both tells a story and begs a question… what happened here?

We think of marks most often as visual, visible things, but we also leave behind intangible marks – traces of our energy, our attitudes, our emotions, our intentions, our human-ness. Our marks can impact the lives of others in ways we rarely even consciously consider. From insects and lichen marking leaves and rocks to humans leaving messages on walls and bridges, mark-making is a way to let other beings know we are here and we are all connected.

I have made marks in the soil of my garden, on my easel, in the living rooms of family members, and in the hearts of friends, just as they have left their marks on me. Mark-making can be as deliberate as picking up a pen and writing a word or as accidental as sighing in the wind.

In the next day or two I will be launching a mark-making project that is designed specifically to make a difference in the lives of others. So, come back soon to check it out, or if you are a subscriber, watch your mailbox for the announcement and launch of EndlessSeeker Art. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek:

Enjoy your own mark-making today, and as always, thanks for reading and being here together!