Day 1 - January 1, 2012 - Getting Started

Today is first day of a new year and the first day of our 15-day Art-Making Challenge. It wasn't until I put away all the holiday decorations did I actually get into the studio. Getting started on a new project has always been hard for me, yet I am learning to manage my process. I go grocery shopping, take Tesha to dog park, make telephone calls, clean the toilet or other things I rarely do before I commit myself to going into the studio. Not quite sure why I have a hard time starting - but once I do - I am pretty happy and engaged in the process. In fact, once I start a project, all I want to do is be in the studio working on it!

So - I have been looking forward to the challenge ever since we dreamed it up in late November at the Kurt Schwitters' Exhibit in Berkely. I knew I wanted to create 6" x 6" collages with a common theme but didn't know what materials I would be using. It is easy for me to get overwhelmed with all the possibilities (see more on this at Tuesday, May 31, 2011 blog posting). After I put away all the dishes and supplies on the counters (more stalling and distraction) and unwrapped five 6" x 6" canvases, I decided I would start with what was right in front of me; a calendar of black and white Zen-like nature photographs that a good friend gave me a few days ago.

Black and white felt good and I wanted at least one other key black and white source to collage with the photographs. I then decided it would be great fun to use the photographs of Pre-Columbian Art from "University Prints" that I bought last summer. Of course, there will be color - probably bird images, messengers of the sacred, and acrylics or maybe gouache, and, or perhaps origami paper or . . .

starting place: cleaned-up work area & staging of materials

In managing my creative process, I have learned not to get too far of myself, such as having everything determined ahead of time. Once in the process, I am much more aware of what is needed for whatever I am engaged in. Make sense? Just start - start with what I know and what is in front of me; that is my new motto these days.

Several participants of this challenge are concerned about not being able to make a finished piece of art every day for 15 days. No where in the description of Soul Expression's Art-Making Challenge does it state that you must complete something every day for 15 days; it reads, "15 finished pieces in 15 days". Think about it. There are some things you could complete - yet there are many things which will take time to dry or evolve over several days. Late today I started - I started by beginning the first collage layer (or two) on 5 pieces. Perhaps tomorrow I will finish a piece or two - or finish three - or start another background or . . . My intention, the first stage of the creative process, is to make 15 pieces of art in the first 15 days of January 2012. Now that I have started - I am pretty happy!

layers of paper adhered to canvas with matte medium, now drying for tomorrow's "play"

Tell me -- how was your first day? How did you feel? What did you do (or not do)? Please leave your comments and email any images you would like for me to post for you to illustrate your journey.