Summer Traveling and Adventure

Summer Traveling or On Our Way

Acrylic on Canvas 10"x10"

56/100 in 100 days, August Everyday 14

I've been working on this for quite a while. Well. Most of the week. In my world, that's a while. Actually, I wanted another painting for my gallery wall. I have something from Leah Giberson (similar to this one) and THIS one from TushTush.

It is a very small gallery wall. I know I have plenty of things I could put up there, but I've been very slow in building it. And actually my biggest problem is frames and mats. Speaking of frames, I should probably count my frames as part of my creative challenge, since I took a bunch of yardsale frames and spray painted them black. I guess I'm waiting for my gallery wall to get bigger.

But back to the painting. This is actually part of a series of my travelling paintings. They are inspired by the way the land looks while driving past in a car. I really should have used all my many photos as a reference, but for this one, I just wanted to start and get it out there. I almost didn't want to post it because I thought I should "fix" it as my vision is developing as I have painted it. But then I realized that no, this piece is rather complete in itself. What I need to do is paint ANOTHER one with the new vision in my head, one that is more straight lines. I still have a couple of these canvasses so I have a little freedom to experiment. That's kind of exciting. I love to experiment.

I See

Pen and Watercolor on recycled menu

57/100 in 100 days

I did this doodle yesterday while at work. I was getting into the doodle phase when I looked at it and said-- "Hey! This is done." Then when I got home, I took out my watercolors and painted it.

It reminds me of the back of a set of tarot cards.

I don't know where some of these doodles will go, if they will go anywhere, really, but they are fun to do and they might actually lead to something. I mean, who knows, if I do create a tarot deck someday, which I might, this might be neat for the back of the cards. Or something like.

I have some more stuff that I was working on yesterday. I sewed my skirt and fixed it! It's now an aline skirt. However, I think it's not done yet. Or perhaps I just didn't like my photo of it. It's certainly not professional looking. But I wore it last night and it was very comfortable. The hem is a little wonky. Oh well, either I'll add some details to the hem or I'll just post it the way it is. I haven't decided yet. And I worked on the wings for that goddess doll but they'll take a while to dry so that I can add them. I also worked on a log for all these projects. I can't keep track of them all. I should have known I needed to write them down. I ALWAYS need to write these things down.

I'm having lots of adventures in art lately. Creativity.

Giving myself the challenge of creating everyday is getting me to expand my vocabulary and try new things, and also to recognize when I am being creative when I might have just discounted it before.

This should be a lesson. It is the commitment to DOING that develops an artist. Probably any person. In any field, you need to commit to get better, to become an expert, to grow.

I think that's why I like the 100 days challenge. You can start out at zero, with no habit, and you stumble in the beginning, trying to find out where you are going, and as the days keep going, you start being in a dialog with your work. Some of it doesn't work, and some of it does, but it all informs the rest of the work, the journey. And you become more confident of your work as you go on, whether that is experimentation on a broad level, or with a very narrow focus.

One of my favorite 100 in 100 days challenges was Ina's and her wonderful self portraits. Watching her growth as an artist over the course of 100 days is just amazing. And she came up with some great pieces, even if not every one was amazing.

It's the journey. The adventure. The commitment.