New Auction on Facebook

Just like the title states ... a new auction on Facebook!

Another one of my one-a-day works is up for sale. Starting at $5.00! Its practically free!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4115580&l=7796e3dccc&id=684496819

2009 Reflections - Part Two

Its now February. Where does the time go! Today I was setting up a retrospective exhibit with some of the artworks I did in 2009, and it was a really weird feeling. I dated all of the artworks I created with the Month/Day/Year, and I pulled out the piece I did on Feb 1st of last year. It was surreal. I feel like I painted it a hundred years ago. SO much has happened in the last year. SO many pieces of art.

Stone Icon:Archers Window
Feb 1, 2009

What I remember about those first few months are a roller coaster of emotions. Literally. January was the hardest month. It was really difficult developing the patterns and habits which would pull me through the next 8 months. It was a grind and drained me in so many ways, but after I was past that initial hump I began to feel a growing elation. By the end of February I was riding the crest of the biggest 'art high' I have ever experienced. Every piece I did took no effort, came so easily and was filled with joy. I slept 3 hours a night for a solid week, and didn't get tired. It was wonderful. *sigh*. I don't even remember crashing. I think it just ended and I went back to 'normal'. After that I plateaued and pretty much stayed there. No more roller coaster.

Part of my plan for the year included the making of lists. I tried to write down the kinds of subjects I would like to tackle and even went so far as to plan what piece I would do on which day. Well, that plan lasted for about 3 days and then got thrown out the window. The one-a-day challenge is a very organic process, and because one is working on so many things day after day you become very much directed by the process. At least this was my experience. One day leads into a week, leads into a month, and pretty soon you find your choices dictated by what you have done before, or how you feel on that day.

An offshoot to the lists was the idea to work in series and this I very much stuck to. Each week I did 7 pieces that related to each other. Many of these series were an addition to series I have already created (IE: A Space Oddity, The Red Lantern, Stone Icons), but there were many new ideas and I tried to add a bit more challenge to the challenge by tackling my process in a different way, or being minimal, or realistic, or compositional and colourfully uncomfortable. When you work small it seems to allow for more experimentation. If it doesn't work, that's ok, because you haven't invested A. a lot of time, or B. a lot of money in supplies.

My experimentation's lead me in directions that were quite pleasing and inspiring. Now, in 2010, I am using many of the pieces I created in 2009 as a jumping off point, and further exploring the ideas I began.

More thoughts to be continued in part three ... forthcoming.