Holly's ACEO Challenge

Holly DeFount of Raven and Rose Arts in Berkeley, CA is doing ACEO (Artist Card Editions and Originals) Challenge 2011: One small piece of original art every day...

Why did you decide to do this project?  After completing the National Novel Writing Month Challenge last November, I was inspired to do the same kind of challenge with visual art for a whole year.  I chose the ACEO format (Artist Card Editions and Originals) which is any media, 2.5" x 3.5" because I was always inspired by icons, symbols and the art of playing cards.  The project started off very casual, but soon became clear that the images I was coming up with were very archetypal and compelling. My audience encouraged me to design a Tarot deck, something I've always wanted to do.  I'm now halfway through the challenge, and well on my way developing the deck which I've fondly named "The Incidental Tarot," since it arose from the "incidental" daily drawings I was doing.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I've always been a perfectionist in my art, and because of that, I never was able to produce a large body of work unless I was in school or commissioned to do comprehensive projects.  NaNoWriMo taught me that I could in fact just let the creativity flow, sans editor and sans critique.  I forced myself to post a drawing every day, even if I hated it.  The result was amazingly liberating!  I look forward to what I create on the fly every day, instead of procrastinating or worrying because I haven't come up with the perfect concept.  I've hit bumps in the road, plateaus and slumps where I think I can't do it anymore.  But I push on, and it's taught me that I am stronger and better than I ever believed before.  I know now that I can accomplish great things when I dedicate myself to the process.  I am already creating great things, and loving every minute of it!

See all of Holly's ACEOs HERE. And also see her weekly Tarot cards HERE.