Simulacrum

Angie Neimand in Richmond, Virginia is creating daily in her Simulacrum project...

Why did you decide to do this project?  I didn’t decide, but was coerced by my friend, the ever-talented Madonna Dersch.  She is like the shadowy, lurking in the alley, pusher of art supplies.  Medium gloss varnish in particular. That being said, I liked the idea of incorporating creativity in my life on a more regular basis.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I have virtually “met” lots of cool people through this project.   I like how everyone feeds off of each other’s creativity.  Inspirations and collaborations abound.

Personally, I’ve had to embrace my own process, even when it doesn’t work out so well in the end.  I’ve taken a lot of pictures of my neighbor’s plants when pressed for time.  I’ve posted some things for my project that I don’t care for.  Like this for example. This is currently residing in a landfill somewhere because when I tried to salvage the parts I ripped the canvas beyond repair.

My goal was to be creative every day, not be perfect.  Being able to accept that not everything I do is good is a great way to keep that nagging perfectionism in check.  That being said, there are a few things on there I’m proud of.  It reminds me of an interview I read once in which a National Geographic photographer said he only finds a few usable prints in every thousand photos he takes.  The point is you are doing it.  You are being creative and even when it doesn’t pan out the way you wanted it to, it still leads you into your next project which may work out just fine.  Just keep on making stuff.

Eye Chart!

See all of Angie's simulacra HERE.

365 Merit Badge: 365 Squarey Monsters

Kurt Marquart of 365 Squarey Monsters did something very unique for his 365 Merit Badge video submission: He created an image using GPS over the course of a 7.5 mile run!...

He says, "Having to consistently think creatively can be daunting, but the results are always pleasing. You have to be in really good creative shape to challenge yourself. I find that having a creative job can actually reduce my ability to be creative on my own. Make Something 365 has given me an opportunity to have fun with what I love to do without the restrictions of having to please anyone but myself with what I'm making. Of course, it's always nice to hear that other people are enjoying what you're doing too ;)"

Here are a few of his favorites from the project so far...

Want to get a 365 Merit Badge of your own? Details are HERE.

Read Kurt's original 365 interview HERE.
And see all of his Squarey Monsters HERE.

365 Post Combat Poems

Domenica Campbell in Shelton, Washington is making 365 Post Combat Poems. She explains, "Poems which reflect my life and experiences as the wife and caregiver of a disabled veteran suffering from severe combat PTSD compounded by a traumatic brain injury. I respect my husband probably more than he’ll ever know; he sacrificed so much for our country, lost his career and a once vibrant and fulfilled way of life. He is my hero and inspiration for this '365 day' project."...

Why did you decide to do this project? I have been wanting to write a book for a couple of years now, but have not been able to get into any kind of meaningful routine or establish a disciplined pattern for staying focused and on track.  In an effort to "force" accountability into writing on a daily basis, I decided to post "a poem a day" (some previously composed, some adapted from blog posts to poems, some brand new compositions).  Although I have not promoted my blog, I still feel beholden to myself to make sure every day a poem is composed and posted.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Well although as I mentioned I have not promoted my blog, or even told my family what I'm doing (!), I feel an obligation to the project which has given me focus, discipline, and pulls creativity from the most unexpected sources.  My husband or a co-worker might say something or ask me something or I might perform an action which makes me think "hmm, I need to write a poem about that."

Even though I only began this project on July 4th, I find myself regularly jotting down notes, and recording voice memos during the day when I find myself inspired by a topic for a poem.  At night when I have a chance to sit down and pull all my thoughts together from the day, I can compose something meaningful to me.  Some of my poems are free verse and do not rhyme, they are not meant to rhyme, which can sometimes detract from the depth, mood and intensity of the words.

Most of all.... I'm having a blast and feeling very proud of myself :)

Read all of Domenica's poems HERE.

Amy's 365 Haikus

Amy Glaser in Hudson, Wisconsin recently finished making 365 haikus for her status update on Facebook over the course of a year...

Haiku #365
Creativity
Practiced ev'ry day one year
Hope it continues

Why did you decide to do this project?  I was inspired by the 365 Creativity Journal. I had the honor of being hired to proof the book's layout, so I got a head start on the other projects that have been inspired by this book.

Haiku #334
Drinking and knitting
Really don't mix very well
Knocked-over glass; oops

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I purposely chose something easy so that I could keep up with the every day aspect. There were only two haikus where I was simply uninspired, but I still managed to make a haiku out of the lack of inspiration. I will continue my haikus since my friends enjoyed them so much. And I started to think in haikus after a while. I'd think "Ooh, that would make a good haiku" and would start tapping out the syllables with my fingers. I also have inspired some of my friends to write haikus, so that was pretty awesome as well.

Haiku #332
Creativity
I don't have it on this day
Very lame haiku 

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? My biggest lesson is that I am capable of sticking to something, which I've been doubting lately. I can do anything if I put my mind to it.

Haiku #327
Sweaty, hot step class
Lock of hair stuck to forehead
I looked like Squiggy

Now what? Friends have suggested I do limericks, but I have to rhyme and I am not a fan of poems that rhyme. (I judge high school speech tournaments and bristle when I hear a student caught into the rhyme of a poem.) I'm going to continue my haikus. They are fun and not something you come across every day as a status update on FB. Being that I am trying to save money, maybe I'll think of something to save money every day.

Haiku #291
Misread directions
Creates a unique design
Always improvise

365 Merit Badge: Over Exposure 365

Denis Ricardo has won a 365 Merit Badge for his Over Exposure 365 project...


Read Denis's original 365 interview HERE.
And see all of Denis's photos HERE.

There are still several 365 Merit Badges left to win, find out how to get your own HERE.

Kelsey's 365 Day Challenge

Kelsey in Seattle, Washington is following the prompts in my book and doing her own 365 Day Creativity Challenge...

Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to start this project because I have always been
interested in art but feel like I've just hit a wall, I will draw or doodle on occasion but have lost direction. I was online the and ended up on art sites and seeing all the things people have done in year
long projects so I took on this project as a way to expand my horizons and motivate myself to try new things.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? This project has been hard for me because I am not used to creating when and how I am told, I am more of a 'do what I feel like doing'
person and when I have to make something on spot my heart isn't always in it. So through this project I am learning how to work with what is presented to me in a short amount of time.

See how Kelsey is progressing HERE.

365 Do-Overs

Jeanne Hinds in Traverse City, MI is making something new out something every day in 365 Do-Overs...

Why did you decide to do this project?  To jumpstart my creativity daily and to learn new and different techniques in making things.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I can't even begin to explain all the ways.  I have learned so much about crafting and materials.  I was featured in the local paper and on a morning news program on TV so I have gained confidence in my public self.  I have learned how to plan better and how to meet a daily deadline.  My computer skills are improving as well as my photographic skills.  I have met people and taught a class and learned all kinds of resources online and and and .......I love it! 

See all of Jeanne's do-overs HERE.

Natalee's Owl A Day

Natalee Richards in Michigan is making an Owl A Day...

Why did you decide to do this project? I decided to do this project because I was browsing through books at Barnes & Noble and stumbled upon this journal telling me that I could make something everyday and "change my life." I picked it up and then put it back because I assumed it was something I wouldn't be able to follow through with. Something, however, brought me back to the book. I decided that I needed it and that doing this project would be just what I need to get my creativity flowing. I love doing creative projects, but I always seem to have a real problem following through with and finishing them. I have a tendency to procrastinate and I felt that this would give me the extra push to actually do something. I wasn't sure i was exactly "ready" to start the project, but I figured that you can never really be completely ready for a project that continues every single day for a year, so I had to just dive right in!

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? This project has affected my life by making a goal for each day: make an owl! I definitely think it is helping my creativity grow. I see a lot of things in a different way now because I'm always thinking "How could I make this into an owl?" Anytime friends of mine see me grabbing random objects and putting them together, they'll give me a strange look and ask "What are you doing?" and before I even have to answer, they say "OH, you're making an owl!" I think it is also kind of rubbing off on some of them. I must admit, there are some days where I say "Okay, I've made it far enough. I can just quit now, right?"  Something always makes me continue, though. I think it has definitely helped me to be creative everyday, even when I'm not quite feeling up to it. I know that I have committed myself to this, so I can't give up! It also feels good to have people wanting to see my owls each day and telling me that they actually make their days. I appreciate all of the support and help I get from everyone in doing this project. And lastly, I appreciate the inspiration from Noah.

See all of Natalee's owls HERE.

Scrapbooking & Beyond likes 365

The summer 2011 issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond features a nice review of 365 A Daily Creativity Journal...

Unlikely Couples

Liese A Ricketts in Chicago, IL is making a year's worth of Unlikely Couples...

She explains, "I have to credit (for my inspiration) Ken Brown, who so made me laugh with his coupling of unlikely people on postcards in the’80’s. I still remember Ike Eisenhower and Tina Turner couple I loved. I wore that T-shirt until it yellowed from age. Continuing in that tradition with a different aesthetic but a humor not so distant. I am creating this series of Unlikely Couples.

I love making images. Although the work that I live to make is straight black-and-white film photography, during the in-between times, I work on photo collages, animated gifs, and strange things. I collect photographic ephemera and use bits in pieces as well.

The American addiction to celebrity is interesting, curious, morbid, and utterly shameless. This work draws on subjects who are part of the media or scrutinized closely by such. For these particular images I take the name of someone in the media spotlight, if only briefly, and play with their identity. Oh, such fun."

Why did you decide to do this project? I began this project as part of a daily ritual to make art daily. Someone suggested I post them to a site called 365 Days of Print, which I did. I posted every day in June but find myself compelled to make them continually. I have over 120 now and will continue as long as the juices keep flowing.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It makes me fell good to do creative things, rather than spend money, get pedicures, and drink too much wine. I feel happier, yes, much happier, and when I get a very Unlikely Couple, I laugh out loud.

See all of Liese's couples HERE.

And see Ken Brown's 365 interview HERE.

Cloth Paper Scissors likes 365

The May/June 2011 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors features a nice review of 365: A Daily Creativity Journal...

Oddments & Curiosities

Leah Palmer Preiss in Raleigh, NC is making an imaginary being every other day in Oddments & Curiosities: odd creatures on odd days...

Why did you decide to do this project? Ever since I first encountered Skull-A-Day, I've admired 365 projects from afar & thought taking one on would be a great creative stimulus. Still, the idea of doing anything every single day seemed just too daunting for my skittish personality & busy schedule. When it suddenly occurred to me that I could post something on every odd day, I knew I had to try it. The phrase "oddments &a mp; curiosities" has been part of my identity (on business cards, web profiles &c.) for many years, & it seemed perfect for the project. I began Oddments on my birthday, & hope to keep it up until my next birthday.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It has only been a month so far, but already I find it keeps my head buzzing in a playful, dreamy way. The concept is open-ended enough that I doubt I'll ever run out of ideas-- I have dozens waiting in the wings already.  I look forward to experimenting with different media & adding other new challenges in the future to keep things fresh. I love not quite knowing what will come of it!  (I call it an experiment in predictable unpredi ctability.)
Posting so frequently has helped me to let go of some of my perfectionist, tweak-everything-to-death tendencies. Also, especially because I've been working mainly on longer-term art projects for the past few years, it gives me a real psychological boost to complete something, however small, on such a regular & frequent basis. And last but not least, I'm surprised & delighted by the fun, creative comments I'm receiving!

See all of Leah's odd creatures HERE.

Ornithoblogical Follow-Up

I've decided to periodically check back in with some folks who have completed their 365 projects...

Anna Raff made 365 birds over the course of 2010 in her Ornithoblogical project...

  I like this first one because there actually was a Hurricane Earl that was supposed to slam into the East coast in September. He kind of puttered out, so this probably wound up being funny only to me.

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? I never thought about how the project would evolve, but that was quite surprising. There was definitely an arc as the year progressed, and the work improved. Somewhere around May (I started Ornithoblogical on January 1, 2010 roughly), I think I hit my stride, and it's real character emerged. It became a blog not just about bird illustrations, but one that involved a lot of word play and puns.

These guys were kind of effortless—meaning, they sort of drew themselves, and I think that shows in the piece. That's often what I'm striving for

In what ways did the project change your life? Probably one of the best skills I gained was in time management. I had made a commitment to do the blog for a year without missing a day, as a way to force myself to draw more. A large part of my time was spent brainstorming to keep ahead of the calendar, and I found I could do that anywhere. I've never been one of those illustrators who regularly keeps a sketchbook, and ideas would interject themselves anywhere—usually somewhere inconvenient—like the shower, which is not a place where I would ever have a sketchbook. I developed some systems. (I also learned about the beauty of the "scheduled post," which made vacations much more plausible.)

This was a complicated idea (for me), and I like it because it pretty much came out the way I saw it in my head.

Now what? Although my initial intention was to finish the blog at the end of 2010, it has continued, but not on a daily basis. I've been on a bit of a hiatus for the last two months, due mostly to the volume of my other work. I guess that makes it a success—I needed a self-promotional tool that included a large body of work to show off my illustration and point of view. And I'm happy to say, it seems to have worked. I'm about to start illustrating a children's book for a publisher who followed my birds for several months.

These last two made it into this year's American Illustration book. Yippee!

See all of Anna's birds HERE.

365 Days for You

Tyler Ryan Carroll in Florida is doing 365 Days for You. He explains, "Each of my days I make a gift for someone the gifts so far range very different from writing there name on my leg to making them a physical gift to sending a video card. My project is open to anyone really although currently filled only with friends and family. What I mean by open is like who ever wants to be apart of it can tell me and they are than incorporated hopefully on the day of there choosing unless the day is already taken."...

Why did you decide to do this project? I had actually decided to take on many personal projects like goals that I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year and then from inspiration on this site I wanted to incorporate my friends it was a matter of time that I finally just decided to devote my project to giving to my friends and even strangers.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? So far it has done a great number on my schedule my sleep schedule was off much more so than it now is. The first three days also taught me the importance of just doing it and not letting things fall behind or to the way side.

See all of Tyler's days HERE.