So, some days it is hard to find the time to make something and play. Today was one of those days. Tomorrow we are moving to a new apartment, so I've been a little preoccupied. I didn't let that get in the way of my weekly Tuesday traditional art skype with my dear friend and fellow artist, Kari Pearson. I love being able to talk with her about life, the challenges of continuing our creative practice, and trying to propel our creative careers forward.

Today, after talking and catching up a little, we decided that our art for today could be a 10 minute sketch of each other as we were video chatting. Kari set a timer for 10 minutes and we giggled and got started. Here is how that went.

One thing that really made us laugh was that Kari's drawing of me looked like I belonged in American Gothic. :) What I think is funny is that this may actually be what I look like when I'm creating and focusing. I look at my face in the upper corner of that screenshot and giggle. I look as though I have never taken a screenshot before and I'm anxious about it. :) Here is Kari's drawing of me. We joked that it is an accurate portrait of my duck lamp, with American Gothic me in the foreground. :)

I'm going to try to fit in some art time tomorrow, too, to continue this April Project. Check back soon! :)

Hello again! Happy Saturday! Because I posted something black and white for the past two days, I thought I would create something in color today. I wanted to paint something for my friends, Petra and Gunnar. It was Petra's birthday last weekend, so I wanted to make something to belatedly mark the occasion. I looked for a photo of them and then created a little painted portrait in gouache, and I made the background in Petra's favorite color, too.

I know this is not the most playful, loose, or experimental piece, so I'll return to that playfulness tomorrow. It felt good, though, to create a piece from sketch to final in a relatively short period of time. Of course, in this relatively short period of time I went through every possible feeling about my work. At first I am either nervous or excited, but partway through working on a project I am certain everything I have done is terrible and I won't be able to do it. Then I'll think I am terrible and won't be able to do it. I will either step away for a time or I'll persist, cursing under my breath and audibly sighing until once again I like what I see in front of me, relieved. If you are an artist, I know you understand this pattern well, whether or not it matches yours. Loosening up and playing is actually a challenge, as funny as that sounds. It is a privilege, of course, but it is also a challenge. And this month long project is a great way for me to strengthen my playfulness and lighten the heavy burdens of high expectations I place upon myself before I ever begin.

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend, and check back to see what kind of playful mess I might unapologetically make tomorrow. :)

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