Smudge Revisited

I post often about Smudge and the little book
that I created to honour her life and legacy.
It came to me in unexpected ways
and I am more than a little grateful for
this journey with Smudge that
added a richness to my world
I could not have expected.

Holding Smudge in My Hands

Each time I pick up Smudge: Personally Speaking, I’m in awe of what I’m holding. It really feels like I had nothing to do with it. Ridiculous, I know—but after her passing, I was so out of it that I honestly don’t know where it came from.

The Wonder of Life

There’s so much more to this reality than we realise, and I’m constantly amazed by the way life unfolds: creation, trust, kindness, grace, and above all, gratitude for the small things. These are the things that carry us into experiences we could never have forced or planned.

For me, Smudge and this book were exactly that. They grew out of listening, of feeling into her world—or perhaps seeing her world through my own awareness.

Flowing with the Process

The paintings came together with a kind of ease that’s unusual for me. I’ve had to learn to get out of my own way—often after a metaphorical nudge, or two.

Looking back, I was raw with grief after Smudge passed. Drawing and writing weren’t conscious acts—they were energy moving through me, a contagious pull I couldn’t resist. Smudge, my art, and this process often feel like my reason for living. I was completely absorbed.

There was no plan. It simply unfolded, step by step. Before long, it was done—a work pulled from deep sadness into life. A way to honour our time together, and to shine a light on other beautiful, wild, endangered cats.

A Shared Human Experience

This experience, the mixture of grief, love, and creation, is something we all share in some way. The book continues my own journey toward awareness, a way of releasing grief, sharing my story, and embracing a world that is, still, endlessly full of possibility.

Publishing it was its own challenge. But the greatest joy is seeing Smudge now sitting with others who take the time to slowly immerse themselves in the energy of her pages—just as she healed me.

The Interwoven Threads

All things are connected—artworks, words, stories. They touch us in different ways, in ways we don’t always expect. And for me, that is the wonder of it all.

If  ‘Smudge- personally speaking’ tweaks your interest check her out and the beautiful prints of all the paintings in the book -here on my website –  blazewarrender.com   – the book and prints for you to browse are in ‘SHOP’ – https://blazewarrender.com/product/smudge/

A Life Lesson from Smudge

What this project taught me is the beauty of mutual dependency. Smudge relied on me, just as I relied on her—to expand my awareness, to notice more deeply, to grow.

This work touched me with inspiration and planted a seed. It caught my attention in exactly the way something needs to, for growth to happen within us. That’s how real change, real opening, begins.

Always thank you so much for reading my musings.Wishing you all things creative in your life……blaze