Dyer’s Coreopsis beginning to bloom.
Greetings Friends,
I joined artist Nicholas Wilton’s 25-Day Creative Awakening Challenge in February, and it’s interesting how it changed my work.
The challenge was to spend 20 minutes each day creating a small piece of art in a sketchbook. We could use any medium and mix mediums, if we wanted to. Nick says that just 20 minutes a day is enough to keep you connected to your work and to allow your art to develop and evolve over time.
For the first week, Nick encouraged us to paint whatever it was that we were feeling. Here are a few of my sketchbook pieces from that week.
The second week was about creating pieces using whatever makes you feel alive. However, I was still stuck in painting my feelings.
The third week was about play and letting yourself use materials you haven’t used before in a way you’ve never done before. This was easier. I started by playing with a spirograph, and that was fun! Also very addictive.
Then I tried to incorporate the spirograph images into my usual collages, and it wasn’t coming together. In frustration I collaged a black and white checkered napkin over the whole thing.
Finally I let myself go and created two pieces in a mixed media style that I’ve never done before, using ink, charcoal, collage and paint. I really like these two.
But that’s not the end of it, and all is not completely well. When I tried to create another piece the following day, it turned into a huge mess, and I ended up covering it with a piece of black gauze.
Life is messy!
I tried another piece that same day because I didn’t want to end on a bitter note. This one is interesting, but it looks a lot more aggressive than I had intended, and even a bit angry. I don’t think I was angry, so I’m not sure where that was coming from. Maybe I was angry about messing up the previous piece.
This challenge really pushed me to make some changes in my work, and I’m going to continue spending 20 minutes a day with my sketchbook. It’s definitely a worthwhile exercise, and I’m eager to see where my art goes from here.
How have you pushed yourself lately? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts. You can share them with us in the comments section below.
With love and appreciation,
Cassandra
Thanks for the reminder to do art. I’ll get right on it!
Not kidding, I have not done any art in too long, though whenever I do I feel good.
I feel I’m entering a new creative period! With my writing as well. Love, h
Hi Holly. Yes, it’s so easy to let our creative endeavors fall by the wayside. I’m guilty of it as well. It helps me to know that I don’t have to spend hours every day. Even just 15-20 minutes a day is enough, and I can manage that. Most of the time. Not all of the time! And that is good enough.
Thanks for sharing the 20 minute idea…I plan to incorporate that into my day. Maybe with some writing too, as Holly suggested. Thanks also for dissecting what you were feeling each day. I think that will help me sort out the big grey blob that is hanging over me lately. Finding one piece to pull out and explore will hopefully clear my head as spring approached and the sun shines a bit longer each day. The snow is melting!!
Hi Fran. I love that you’re going to use it to sort out your feelings. Yes! It helps me in that way, too. Before I start I sit down for a minute to tune into what it is that I’m feeling that day, and then I create from that place. I also like that it’s only 20 minutes, which means it doesn’t have to be perfect, and I’m free to explore and play in any way that I choose. What materials and colors are calling to me that day? Hope you have fun with it, Fran.