Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Art Practice

The St. Louis Young Women's Caucus for Art recently did a traveling journal project. Each participant had the journal for 7 days. They each committed to making art in the journal on each of those days and sending it on to the next artist. (Read about it here: http://travellingjournalroxanne.blogspot.com/)

From my idea book notes today.
My friend Roxie suggested that the WCA do some kind of sketchbook/journal commitment as a chapter. I like the idea. I am afraid that my sketchbook practice has been lacking lately. I certainly write plenty, but since I've never considered myself to be great at drawing, I tend not to do it much. (Of course, that means that I also don't improve much.)

I've been thinking about art practice. My sister is a classical musician - a viola player to be specific - and she practices for hours every day. Why don't I practice art for hours every day? If I did, would I be as awesome at art as my sister is at music? So here comes the grand experiment:

I'm done teaching until January 3, so instead of making art "when I have a little free time," I'm going to do it every day like it's my job (isn't it?). I'm going to be posting my practice, whatever it may be. When I took drawing classes, I loved having hours set aside where I just sat and drew pictures, so I want to drawing at least one thing every day, and hopefully also do something with clay. So here are the first photos. They'll get better, I hope. These are from yesterday and today. 

Mugs! My sister-in-law-to-be is also a potter and is giving all of her wedding guests a hand-made coffee mug. Ambitious much? I'm trying to help her out a little bit while I'm visiting. I made these yesterday.
A page from my "Art Ideas" notebook: yesterday's printmaking notes and sketches of my beverages.