On February 1, 2020 SAQA issued a challenge to create art and post it for 100 days. They had issued the same challenge in July 2019. I was so, so tempted in 2019, but didn’t feel I had the time to make the commitment. The second time round I was confident I didn’t have the time. I also realized I would never feel I had the time. So, I took up the challenge.
I knew my medium of choice, fiber and thread, wasn’t right for this challenge, at least for me. I lean towards mid-sized work which takes months to make. What could I post? Sure I could make small scrap collages. Many of my fellow fiber artists do. I’ve dabbled with them, but simply don’t enjoy the process or the product. If I was to stick to the challenge I needed something that would sustain me.
When I wasn’t debating how to handle the 100 days of art challenge, I was planning how to host my first local open studio in November 2020. I live in a seaside town where nautical and beach decor is all the rage. I figured I would make small, graphic works that would be relatively easy to assemble and affordable enough for an impulse purchase. In 2012 and 2013, ironically while I was living in Wisconsin, I made a series of quilts based on seashells. Perhaps I could revive this series. This lead me to needing to draw seashells again. Why not draw for the challenge and using my drawings as blueprints for my quilts? Genius!
I am fortunate to have these moments of genius. 99% of the time moments is the operative word. The path quickly takes a sharp turn in a direction I never see coming. And so it was this time. I did begin by drawing seashells. Then that branched to drawing things you might see on the beach or in the ocean. Finally, I just got really into following drawing tutorials available as YouTube videos. I am so glad I did. I posted drawing 100 on May 11th.
I may not have work for the open studio in November, but I have learned to draw with confidence. How this will show up in my future art, I won’t even begin to speculate. I am certain, the lessons learned from spending 100 days drawing will stay with me and find their way into my art.
I am linking up with Nina Marie’s Off the Wall Fridays.
