Four months and 16 cards into the year for my 52 Cards Project. Whoop whoop!
So far, I'm pleased with this little passion project. Surprisingly, it's taken 0 self discipline to complete it every week—unlike art challenges where I always seem to lose steam midway through and really have to push myself to complete.
I often wonder about that aspect of art challenges. On the one hand, art challenges are SO useful. I’ve
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I did it! I actually took one hour of my vacation in Loreto, sat myself down and in my art journal drew the lobby of this lovely hotel where we stayed that night. Then, still on vacation, I took another block of time a few days later, sat myself down and finished it with watercolor and linework. As I said last week, I have such a hard time carving out time for art while traveling so this is a huge accomplishment.
And the drawing isn’t half bad either. Ha ha.
All kidding aside, as soon as I stepped into the lobby of the Posada de Las Flores — Inn of Flowers — I knew I had to draw it! All those angles! That circular staircase to floors two and three! The water fountain! the colors! It was a great drawing challenge. I certainly didn’t get it all right — at all — but I’m pleased. My urban sketching is making progress, I think.
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It’s week 16 of my 52 Week Cards Project and this is the first time so far that I really struggled to find a theme—AND it’s the first week that I didn’t meet my self-imposed deadline (Mondays). Oh well—I gave myself a break and wha la, it’s Tuesday and I’m done.
I found it curious that I just couldn’t find my theme. Normally at week’s end, when I think about my experiences and emotions that week, the theme quickly comes to me—in words. Then I find the visual composition to express those words, generally by brainstorming in my sketchbook with quick thumbnails until I hit on something I like.
This week, though, the words just didn’t come—and instead I found my way entirely with image.
I spent it with
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It seems the world is opening up a bit and I am traveling a little more than I have over the last two years. I have so far avoided covid and I hope to remain virus free, but I am vaccinated so I have a pretty good chance I won’t die if I do get it. Others with compromised immunity don’t have my luxury, which is another very good reason to avoid getting covid myself so I don’t inadvertently spread it to others. Therefore I have decided for myself—regardless of public mandates—to wear a good KN95 mask indoors to avoid long exposure anyone who doesn’t care if they get—or spread—covid.
In the meantime, I have to make the very difficult decision about what art supplies to bring with me. I think this is the bare minimum. Except that small daily bag will definitely get switched out for a much larger one.
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There was a time when first starting out on my art journey that I “had no ideas.” I didn’t know what to create next. These days, I have the opposite problem. Too many ideas crowd by head space. But you know what? Both lead to the same problem. Whether I approach the blank page with “no ideas” or “too many ideas”, I don’t know what to create next.
Intellectually I understand that it all comes from the same place—fear.
Fear of the blank page. What will I fill it with? What choices will I make? Will they be the “right” ones?
Bah! I have to catch myself in my own game. I find myself forgetting what I know to be true: “too many ideas” is a tricky cover for the same fear of not being good enough to pull off any any idea.
And the longer I’m paralyzed by fear of choosing, the longer
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This was one of those weeks without appointments, errands or obligations. I started every weekday outdoors exercising or hiking with friends, I spent good time in my art studio—and it’s spring. It rained twice this week, which here in California drought-land is a true blessing. All the land is bursting with new growth.
I believe in joy. I believe that Life is brief and amazing and we are here to experience as much joy as possible.
This week for my 52-card project, I thought about
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his is my monthly Read With Me project and I hope you’ll join me! No commitment. No wine and cheese parties. If you want, simply read the book for the indicated month (see image to left) and then look for a post about the book here on the blog around the 15th of the following month.
I won’t write a formal review. I’ll just share what I found compelling (or not) and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments (but again, no commitment).
Ok, so here we go: The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs.
This post is going to be short and sweet. The Lost and Found Bookshop was
Read MoreWhere I spill my heART and share my obsessions: art journaling, mixed media, and my creative life.
Self taught artist, ranging reader, and writer of Wonderwise newsletter.
