Everyone loves a wholesome little story. With everything that has been going on, these stories are more important than they ever have been. They help us to get through these weird times. With Peak of the Week, I am hoping we can provide some nice stories to help keep us all going.
Peak of the Week: Watercolour by Shibasaki
Taking the time to unwind is imperative to keeping yourself healthy during a stressful period, even if it’s just cleaning your room after a hectic week has kept you too busy to do so. Finding such a distraction brought me to a wonderful channel on YouTube; Watercolour by Shibasaki.
Affectionately dubbed the “Japanese Bob Ross” by some of his 700,000 subscribers, Shibasaki presents a calming atmosphere by speaking softly over videos of himself drawing. These videos have English subtitles, so his content is widely approachable. His videos are broken into four tiers; art for relaxation, art for cooking, five-minute painting guides, and guides for beginners, which he began after receiving comments from viewers thoroughly enjoying his content, but disheartened in their own sub-par ability to draw.
I do highly recommend the channel, but it isn’t the only reason I’m writing about him. In a video named “I’m wondering if I should continue”, he speaks to his audience candidly and honestly, questioning whether his channel benefits his viewers, citing ill health and self-doubt as to whether his videos truly serve a purpose. There is a succinct authenticity, and a clear passion as he speaks about how much helping his viewers means to him.
In response, the comments were flooded with an immeasurable support for him, as they replied in droves with just how positively his videos had affected them. As Shibasaki reaches out to his audience for help, the same help he has provided so many of them, they reciprocated en masse. Maybe it’s just me, but seeing such an outpouring of support for someone who’s so clearly passionate, was striking. Scrolling through just some of the 10,000 comments, and seeing how many he took the time to reply to, shows how appreciated these wholesome interactions are.
If you have an uplifting story you would like to be shared, please send it to andrew.nolan@universityobserver.ie or ellen.duggan@universityobserver.ie.