Commitment and Habits
I have a seven day a week habit of getting up between 6 am and 6:30 am. No alarm is set - none has been set for over 15 years - and I quickly zip into my methodical morning routine of making coffee, checking the weather and social media, then getting out to the studio. Getting an early jump on my day is super important. I feel most alive in the first few hours of the day.
Added to the mix in recent days is the #inktober drawing challenge. Each morning, I respond to a prompt supplied by the @octobertoks profile on Instagram, and draw something. I chose to do my drawings using 6-inch by 6-inch squares of cardboard and my favourite OptiFlow Staples pens. I've also chosen to add splashes of colour at the very end of each one.
I look at my prompt, turn on some relaxing music, and spend the first hour of my day creating something that has no other purpose than to join a community of artists doing the same activity here in Okotoks and around the world. I love this kind of activity as it is daily and time bound. In this case, it is a 31-day commitment.
At the end of October, I will have a very interesting collection of re-imagined squares of cardboard that I am gluing to a larger sheet as I go along.
Making creative commitments has served me so well over the years. Through the setting of goals and by taking on creative commitments, I have been able to build up a body of work that has eclipsed 1,200 paintings in just over 5 years.
Added to the mix in recent days is the #inktober drawing challenge. Each morning, I respond to a prompt supplied by the @octobertoks profile on Instagram, and draw something. I chose to do my drawings using 6-inch by 6-inch squares of cardboard and my favourite OptiFlow Staples pens. I've also chosen to add splashes of colour at the very end of each one.
I look at my prompt, turn on some relaxing music, and spend the first hour of my day creating something that has no other purpose than to join a community of artists doing the same activity here in Okotoks and around the world. I love this kind of activity as it is daily and time bound. In this case, it is a 31-day commitment.
At the end of October, I will have a very interesting collection of re-imagined squares of cardboard that I am gluing to a larger sheet as I go along.
Making creative commitments has served me so well over the years. Through the setting of goals and by taking on creative commitments, I have been able to build up a body of work that has eclipsed 1,200 paintings in just over 5 years.
I am surprised that your total is only 1,200. 5 years. You painted my painting a little less than 5 years ago. When did I interview you on video at Mindcamp?
ReplyDeleteWhat was you first of the DRAMATIC WILD COLOR PAINTING you did?