A Year in the Trees: Follow-up

Alycia Helbling spent 2015 creating a A Year in the Trees ... 

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? My patterns of motivation and creativity became more clear to me this year as I continued through this project. I proved to myself that I could not only finish this project, but prioritize creativity in my life even though I have many other life events, obligations, responsibilities and joys. I also learned that I had some shame around any type of behavior that spoke to a "look at me! look at me" approach. Somewhere along the way I learned that it wasn't okay to look for or enjoy external validation. Through this project I have slid outside my comfort zone and requested more attention on my creativity, and have been rewarded for doing so. In so doing, I am trying to nurture my desire for recognition while balancing my artistic intuition when creating.

In what ways did the project change your life? It has, in a sense, rooted me more deeply in my own experiences of the world. I have struggled with keeping my own sense of reality and integrity in the past. As I grow as a professional and personally, I am seeing a stronger and stronger need for grounding and trusting my own wisdom while balancing the integration of new information. Art reminds me that my perspective is valid, real and beautiful. Art reminds me to look around and continually learn and grow. Art reminds me that there is value in beauty and reflection. I am grateful for my investment in art this year.

Now what? Having proved to myself that I can commit and follow through on creative goals, I plan to craft a goal around making and selling some of my work this year. I am upping my adult-ing level and trying to make some big financial changes, so I am thinking of ways that my art can support that - through using more recycled materials, bartering, selling art, and increasing my feelings of well-being to supplement my health! Also, I would like to send more hand-made things to friends and family throughout the year this year. I want to remind them that I celebrate them and am grateful for the relationships in my life.

Read her original 365 interview HERE.

And see all of her trees HERE. 

A Year in the Trees

Alycia Helbling in Portland, Oregon is creating A Year in the Trees.

Why did you decide to do this project? My main career involves helping others, and art is for me. I care for myself by spending time in nature, with trees, and by appreciating the Earth through spending time observing and translating natural things into art. Choosing to do a project every day has given me even more of an excuse to take the time to mindfully experience the natural world around me. Trees, in particular, have always been exceptionally important to me . They give me strength, oxygen and wisdom.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I see more. I notice every tree on my walks to and fro. I notice how the branches grow in different directions on different trees. I feel calmer and happier having spent more time observing and creating. I also have tried new mediums I had never thought to use, or have been nervous to try. Doing art every day has helped me dive in and get my feet wet more often and more freely. I am really grateful for what I have experienced so far and I am looking forward to the rest of the year.

See all of Alycia's trees HERE.

The Daily Tree

Claudia Bear in Torrance, California is creating The Daily Tree...

Why did you decide to do this project? I got your book a few weeks ago based on a recommendation from my daughter's teacher.  As soon as I started looking through the book, I had so many ideas in my head, I knew I had to start a project right away.  I chose the tree theme because I love drawing, painting and photographing trees.  There's something about the branching shape of a tree that intrigues me.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I'm only on day 12 of my project, but I'm trying very hard to make this a true, DAILY project.  I'm usually such a planner, that my natural tendency would be to make a bunch of projects ahead of time and then stay ahead of schedule for the whole year.  My daughter even asked me "Mom, are you going to make some extras ahead of time, in case you get sick or something?"

Well, sure enough, I ended up getting sick during the very first week of my project, but I still stuck to my daily schedule.  For some people, the discipline of a 365 project might be to avoid "falling behind."  In my case, it's a different kind of discipline - learning to hold back and to wait a day to complete a project!

See all of Claudia's trees on her blog or on Facebook.

A Finngerwegian Story

Carol Niemi in Wisconsin is creating A Finngerwegian Story in which she makes or uses trees in 365 daily projects...

Why did I decide to do this project? I love making things but don't always give myself the time. I love learning new skills and incorporating them into decorating, creating, and imagining what I could do next. I'm 23 and still trying to figure out exactly what I should do with my life. Truth be told, I was with my brother in a bookstore just browsing. I found this book in the crafting section, picked it up, got a feel for this unique idea, and in that moment (even though I had no idea where my life would be going in the next year) I knew I wanted to try this for a year. I've always loved using my hands and being creative.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life?

1. New skills. (I love learning new things.)
2. Teaching me patience and perseverance.
3. I get my family involved and get to spend time with them. Especially my mother...reigniting a creative flame in her. Happy to see her happy.
4. It encourages me to hold on to the dreams and passions I had ever since I was a kid. Be creative. Imagine inside and outside of the box. Be myself, share what I believe and share what I make with others. I've been able to help encourage others to create and have been encourage by so many wonderful people.
5. I'm learning more about myself and what I am capable of doing, especially under some positive pressure.
6. Helps me take the days as they come.
7. No matter what, I'm enjoying myself and thank God he gives me these days and opportunities to create and share.

See all of Carol's trees HERE.

Through the Forest in 365 Days

Michelle Kavanagh from Glasgow, Scotland is making a tree a day and going Through the Forest in 365 Days...

Why did you decide to do this project? I have just finished a college course in Model Making and 3D design. I have been unable to find model making work but still have bills to pay and I was worried that, if I ended up in a job that was not creative then all the valuable skills I had developed would be quickly lost. I wanted to do something that would keep my creative juices flowing but that I would also be able to persist with at those times when a dull job would leave me tired and uninspired. The stories of other artists on the 365 website really resonated with me and I thought it seems to have really helped them this could help me too.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It has given me true hope. It has allowed me to have faith and confidence in myself. I have tried many tricks, timetables, planners, books etc. and yet every time I would encounter difficulty, either creatively or just through everyday life, I would hit a brick wall and whatever I would be working on would fall by the wayside.
Doing this project has been so different. At times when I have finished work late and been really tired I have still managed to complete a tree. If it had been any other creative endeavour I would not have found the energy to work on it when I was feeling exhausted. Admittedly some of the trees are better than others but even that is a gift. Somehow doing this project has allowed me to break through the mental wall built by my perfectionist nature. Often I worry about what I will make my tree of on a particular day but then, as soon as I actually sit down to make it the idea comes to me. In fact I have found myself with a particular idea/material in my head or hand and then at the last minute I spot something else that makes me think “let’s try that”. I love it when that happens because it says to me that the possibilities are endless and that I don’t need to be afraid about my abilities.

See all of Michelle's trees HERE.

TreeSixFive

Lee-Ann Galvin in West Midlands, England is creating a project she calls TreeSixFive...

Why did you decide to do this project? This year I had already started a 365 'photo a day' project, but my camera died and it all went to pot. I decided I really wanted to do something each day again but wanted something that none of my friends were doing, and something that allowed me to use whatever medium I saw fit on that day. As a Graphic Design student at university I've already realised the woes of being stuck in a creative rut, so the need to explore my creative style was top priority. By choosing a subject matter I hope to find some interesting and new techniques and solutions as I'm sure it is going to get alot more difficult as the days pass. I think i'm going to have to purchase 365: A Daily Creativity Journal to keep myself productive.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It's already stopped me being a lazy student and to think creatively everyday. I'm less than a week into this and already feel inspired by so many things, I just hope I can continue it till next April!

See all of Lee-Ann's trees HERE.

My Daily Tree

Brenda in northern Illinois is doing a "journal of art, creativity and exploration" she calls, My Daily Tree...

Why did you decide to do this project?  I have been trying for a while to start up my artwork again. (I used to do the art fair circuit as well as be an art therapist)  Nothing seemed to motivate me but when I picked up this book after Christmas, my interest was peaked.  It took me a while to get started but now I am having a great time!  I'm creating a tree each day following the guidelines in 365: A Daily Creativity Journal.  I chose trees as my theme because I've always had a connection to trees and the seasons.  It's always shown up in my artwork, but I've never done anything quite like the trees inspired by this book!

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life?  Well, I believe in myself a little bit now; frankly, I think I've been scared to start creating art again because I thought I wouldn't be able to do it.  I've proved myself wrong :)  Being creative daily has brought me new energy, new insights, and joy.  My family looks forward to seeing what I do and they've also gotten involved.  Putting myself out there with the blog took some courage on my part; I panicked a little bit after I did it.  But I've gotten great feedback and I can't wait to see where this year takes me!

See all of Brenda's trees HERE.

365 ~ Tree Please

Misha Bean (a.k.a. Michelle Earle) in the Greater Cincinnati Area is spending a year making trees with her project 365 ~ Tree Please...

Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to create a 365 day project because the idea of doing so, reading about everyone else doing the same, immediately lit me up inside. I knew it was something I needed and wanted to do. When inspiration comes knocking, I do my best to listen.

Because I enjoy a wide variety of mediums, the idea of limiting myself to just one seemed doomed for failure, not that I couldn’t or wouldn’t follow through, but that I would more than likely end up wishing I had given myself more creative license. I also considered keeping it very loose and simple by having the only parameters being to make something every day, but that seemed to lack the challenge that I’m looking for.

After days of considering many possibilities, the one I kept coming back to was a love near and dear to my heart: trees.

Trees have inspired me since I was a child and are so very important to the health of our planet. If my celebrating them in silly and beautiful ways can help raise awareness that it takes a mere $1 to help rebuild the most endangered rain forest on the planet, while also providing  me a creative outlet for showing my gratitude for the beauty all around us, then I call it a good day. With any luck, I'll have 365 of them.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Being a mother, a small business owner and a self-representing artist leaves me with very little time to express myself creatively. Committing to this project is forcing me to take the time. After only a couple of weeks into the project, I am already learning things I didn't expect to learn about myself. Prior to beginning the project, I thought I was pretty relaxed about giving myself permission to take the time to create, but I was wrong. I still have work to do in fully allowing myself to mentally set aside the less fun to-do list, although having added the 365 project to my daily list has helped tremendously!

See all of Misha's tree's HERE (warning the site is noisy, so you may want to turn down your speakers first).