Here are some of my favorites from September-November:
I won't lie, embellishing for the purpose of appearance isn't my thing. I didn't finish the 100 Day Project. If all went as planned, I would have created my 100th piece of art in 100 days on December 6th, 2015. You may be wondering if I've embarked on the inevitable self-deprication journey that typically accompanies small failures like this. But the truth is I haven't, and here's why:
Practical reasoning: I made it to 70/100 pieces and that feels like a huge accomplishment. No, it IS a huge accomplishment. I can't remember the last time I made SEVENTY new drawings/paintings/whatevers in 70 days. Probaby never. If you do this all the time, I'll bow down to you next time I see you.
Reasonable excuse: I was preparing for something of a "solo show" which had a date solidified as early as the beginning of November, and it was obviously important to have the right pieces and reproductions organized and available to sell. This show was NOT in a Boston art gallery, which once again does not feel like any sort of a failure whatsoever to me. The past several years of technology have made success as an artist mean so much more than gallery shows, and have unveiled so many different and unique paths to success. Social media and the explosion of Instagram alone have allowed for thousands to claim success as an artist or maker, and many of these people deomonstrate differents ways to succeed, conventional and unconventional. I've enjoyed taking notes from them and maybe once I have more than ten followers, someday younger artists will be taking notes from me. (Just kidding, I have more than ten, but you know what I mean. There is no "K" after my following amount...yet!)
Back to my reasonable excuse... Don't you agree that it was important to have all of my work labeled for sale? I am something of an organizing freak-- all of my pieces have stock numbers and prices clearly labeled on the back, finished drawings get varnished and immediately inserted to a protective bag, and I have a long referencial computer document that lists all of it. I can't help it, I have a background in retail and need to know where things are and how much they cost. The notion that artists are disorganized is a total stereotype.
Furthermore, the fact that my show was not in an established fine art gallery was a total plus, because the night was comfortable and casual for my guests, and I didn't have to split my profit 50/50 with anyone! I mean, that is sweet, you have to admit. Instead, I donated a percentage of my proceeds to a local charity which extracted the holiday spirirt out of everyone. I had a comfortable space where my friends, coworkers and I could mingle, guzzle champagne (just kidding again-- I honestly had zero time to guzzle, but wish I had!) and talk about ME. Which was sort of uncomfortable thinking back on it, because I'm not used to all of that attention. But the major plus I'm trying to get to here is that I know a lot of people who would inquire about what I make but never got to see it in person. It was the perfect outlet to show those curious friends and acquaintances what I'm all about.
So now you know WHY I did not make it to 100 pieces this time. But what came out of the 70 I did make? So much. Each little journey influenced the next, but was never repeated. I grew tired of styles and felt comfortable switching to something opposite the very next day. Except it never really is opposite. I solidified some elements of design that attract and interest me the most: line, implied marks, and transperency. I discovered new color combinations I'll use for the rest of my life. I realize more firmly now that unconventional color combinations make me really excited about art, in all realms, media, and time periods. They were truly rewarding 70 days. I can't wait to go for the 100 again, probably sometime later this year.
If you've made it this far, thank you. :)
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