Daily Art: How I Keep Challenging Myself

Blog 3



March was a productive month. As much as I want to inspire you to nurture your creative expression, consider that the centre of my business is art. I have long stopped listening to people who think that a professional artist should produce a certain number of artworks. Art is very individual and not a cookie-cutter production. I create because I cannot stop capturing what interests me. Art is not about speed but enjoyment.



At the beginning of March, I spent some time at the cottage. My friend Janis came from Monday to Wednesday to paint together. The weather during the season was relatively mild, with temperatures climbing up to 14 degrees Celsius. However, the wind was still icy and cold. I enjoyed painting in the mild sunshine. On the one grey day, I drew the tree stems at the beach.

 

unfinished paintings and the finished drawing from the trip

I love listening to the wind and birds. In addition, you don't have to worry about mosquitoes in early March, although the ticks were already active. With April at our doorsteps, I am excited for more opportunities for painting outdoors.

I find time for my needle-felted projects during Zoom calls and Crafters Afternoons with friends. I have a couple in the final stages that need my undivided concentration. I hope to finish them before I start teaching again in mid-April. 

unfinished needle-felted paintings

I still challenge myself to draw something daily into my sketchbook. I didn't manage to keep up, but at least I drew more than I would have without the intention. I sketched all of the images of the Murder on the Orient Express collage during the performance, except the first one with the train. 

I also drew many faces during Zoom calls that I will not post because I didn't ask the participants for approval to publish the images. It is always a good exercise, even though often the sketches don't resemble the persons because people tend to move.


Here are collages of my drawings: 

 

inspired by my Cartooning and Comics classes

Blooms

Landscapes (the first looking out of the cottage, the second from a photo)

Murder on the Orient Express (Ottawa Little Theatre)

Going Out

I created most images with coloured pencils. I used markers for some drawings inspired by my Cartooning and Comics classes. I will look for a watercolour or mixed media journal to offer more opportunities for daily art activities.



I will publish my next blog on April 26, 2024.

In the meantime, I invite you to stay in contact by joining my mailing list. I send out two newsletters each month - one with teaching news and the other with information about my latest artworks. By subscribing to my newsletter on my website, you will receive my free e-book titled I Am Ready to Paint, but Where Do I Start?