A-Painting-A-Day

Sarah Hand in Richmond, VA is making A-Painting-A-Day...



Why did you decide to do this project?  I get in a funk – creatively and generally – in January. This year seemed particularly funk-y, and I decided to jumpstart February with a project that had forward momentum and color! I chose a painting-a-day because I want to improve my painting skills, expand my subject matter, get looser, and build my portfolio. I was inspired by a few folks I follow on Instagram who also do paintings every day. And I found the idea of making a painting every day to be just the slightest bit scary (could I do it?!!!)... That feeling of challenge pushed me to do it!


How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I've just entered the second month of my challenge and I have to say that it is one of the best parts of my day. I look forward to it - even if I've put it off until just before midnight! Sitting down and getting lost in a painting - it's everything! My mood is better - my funk has lifted. And the more I create, the more ideas I've been having and the better and faster my making gets. Posting my art on social media - specifically, Instagram - has been fun. The support is amazing. And it's cool to see which paintings people respond to - often, they aren't my personal favorites. That pushes me to look more closely at my work and figure out what people are connecting with. Mostly, though, this project is about play, and I definitely feel happier and happier with every painting I make.

See all of Sarah's daily paintings HERE.  




One Year of Collaging

Gayle Montgomery in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico is making One Year of Collaging...



Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to do this project to keep the creative juices flowing even on days that I am blocked or have too much going on to do a larger piece.  This year began with difficulties and I did not have much energy to engage in larger and more detailed work so I used a 6 x 8 book and started to make the small collages.  I limit my time to approximately 15 minutes so it is spontaneous and intuitive...some are wonderful and others not so but I am creating just the same.


How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? The project gives me new insight into my world and a new awareness of my being.  One begins to view their surrounding quite differently when they set a conscious goal to create something big or small every day.  Years ago I was in a debilitating work environment with little time to create and decided to do something similar by writing a haiku every day for a year.  At the end of the year I made a handmade book with 52 envelopes where I inserted all the haikus I had written for that week which I printed on vellum. 

I have always felt that a creative person is a happier person and with my own blog I try to inspire others to 'take up arms' and find an outlet for creativity however large or small.

See Gayle's collages HERE







365: A Daily Creativity Journal – New & Expanded!

 I'm pleased to announce that the brand new edition of my book 365: A Daily Creativity Journal is now available! 

This book is your guide to making your own daily yearlong creativity projects, inspired by the success I had with my own Skull-A-Day project. This new & expanded edition features an additional month of prompts to keep you going after you finish your own yearlong project and new resources & interviews to keep you inspired!

Ask for it at your local independent bookstore! Don't know where one is? IndieBound can help you out.

Of course it's available at your favorite online book retailer as well, including Amazon.com,
Barnes & Noble & Quarto.

If you'd like for me to do a book signing/talk/workshop in your town drop me a line!