Day 366

366 Days of Art

"Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Mary Oliver

One year ago I wondered if I could paint and complete one piece of art everyday. To prove it I decided to blog it. I wanted to develop a new style and I thought if I practiced everyday, something would happen.

This commissioned abstract was so out of my comfort zone, and I am proud of it.

Things did happen. I had fun. I became addicted to my discipline. I sold my art on etsy. My life subtly changed somehow, in a good way.

These were really fun for me. "How do I feel today?" could be the series.

I did miss somedays, but I carried on. I didn't give up (like when I go on a diet). This practice gave me courage. Guess what, I am not perfect and I can keep going even if I goof up. I experienced a side of myself that I hadn't seen in a long time. And I let myself draw naked people, and laugh like when I was little.

I love this painting.

Luxury. This practice afforded me the time to paint, repaint and paint again, the same thing over and over.

This came from a simple little drawing my 7 years old son had done and I added color. I don't know how many times I have painted some version of this abstract.

I like art that makes me laugh, and this makes me laugh.

I wondered how my friends would feel if I painted them naked (naked is the word kids use and is much less arty than nude, therefore I had to choose naked over nude) and tagged and posted it on facebook. I hoped no one would be offended. Quite the opposite, they all loved it.

Eight months into my experiment my mom received bad news about her cancer and I let it throw me into a tailspin. I quit painting. I quit breathing. One day she said to me, "Kristin, I'm still here, talk to me." It was a wake up call. I still couldn't paint. But slowly the blood started flowing back into my limbs and I recommitted. I came across a quote by Mary Oliver that said, "Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

My Mom

I love drawing and painting. When I was seven I announced I was going to be an artist. I am.

"And the day came with the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin