365 Guitars

Barbara Parker in Maryland is creating 365 Guitars. She explains, "Each day I form a guitar - out of, well, anything at hand - as a creative warm-up for the ensuing job of painting.  In the past I had painted six or so sketches of a guitar, but the process of reaching to create one from things  has proven to be a wonderful and transformative challenge."

Why did you decide to do this project? I read about 365 projects, and your book in a blog posted from France.  I bought the book and loved the concept of challenging myself to create something different and the same 365 times. 234 guitars later, I am beginning to worry about finishing...

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? As a creative, the discipline of repetition has proven to be an amazing kind of training, but more than this, it has opened my eyes to a great many ancillary activities.  Forcing myself into the blog format every day (which is sometimes more difficult than creating the guitar) has improved my writing skills and has brought me enough notoriety that as of May I am teaching a workshop on journaling for artists, at least a part of which is going to include the concept of the 365 project.   Almost above all is the conversation I am having with other creatives about the process.  I have met many, many wonderful people through this project and cannot say enough about how it makes me think creatively every day - no slacking.  It is also a kind of daily success that keeps me going - kind of the B12 supplement of art :)  I have gained a lot of self confidence through watching myself stick with this every day.

See all of Barbara's guitars (and give her encouragement to finish) HERE.