Since February 28, 2024 I have been creating 4x4" cards for The 100 Day Project.
#The100DayProject is a free, global art project that takes place online. Every year, thousands of people all around the world commit to 100 days of creating. Anyone can participate (yes, that means you!).
To further up the ante...as I am wont to do...the first 100 cards included techniques from from an online course by Rebecca Sower. I know a lot of people choose to do one thing a day for the project but for me, creating multiples at one sitting was much easier.
Until it wasn't, when, for the month of April I tackled The Artful Memories Challenge put on by Jane Chipp and Jack Ravi. (to view submissions for the challenge follow #artfulmemorieschallenge on Instagram ) I decided to create 4x4" plaster cloth wrapped cardboard for the project, with a final coating of encaustic medium and it proved SUPER challenging to get each one done in a day. I persevered. Because I'm ornery like that.
For the final month I debated just winging it, creating whatever I wanted, then stumbled over a May challenge from Birgit Koopsen using the gel plate. Perfect! I always love to up my skills using the gel plate. Little did I anticipate that this challenge would kill...humble...frustrate...and annoy me.
Would I do it again? Maybe.
My overall takeaway was that while it provided direction in an otherwise very difficult time in my life (miss you Stella 💔🐶) the work I created wasn't ..erm..great. I mean. Some of it was "good" but with that deadline always in the back of my head, I couldn't take the time to truly explore something if it lit a fire in my heart. Did I make notes for later? Sure! But that doesn't always mean I'll get back there.
The one upside is that I now have TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE things. Finished things. Over the past 6-8-12 months, and maybe even longer, I've taken a lot of classes, participated in many challenges, mostly useful, fun distractions to fill up my creative well. But. I rarely finished anything. I didn't explore anything longer than the class or challenge time period. I have a studio filled with half or quarter finished, mostly just started *things*.
If I were to take on The 100 Day Project again, I think I'd be more thoughtful...intentional... with what I wanted at the end. I can definitely stick to something, that much is obvious. Now, I'm looking for quality over quantity.