daily-ish notes…

  • re:valentine’s day.

    It was almost exactly a year ago today that I discovered one of the perks of learning watercolour painting: As it turns out, and if you are so inclined, you can make your own greeting cards.

    That’s right.

    I’ve never needed to buy a greeting card since learning to watercolour paint.

    Paper. Paint. Water. Brush. And a whole bunch of pretty little flowers on a page with some abstract patterns mixed in. A string of lights for Christmas. A few random egg shapes for Easter. Some skinny candles with little yellow flames atop for a birthday card. And, of course, a smattering of hearts for Valentine’s day.

    I made my Valentine’s Day cards last night, two of them, one for my wife and one for my daughter.

    Take that Hallmark.

  • in support of journaling.

    Though I sometimes fall out of the habit, I find that when I do make a few minutes in my day — each day — to write down a few thoughts, either on paper or into the digital ether the result is cathartic.

    It’s like free therapy, a receptacle for pent up thoughts and feelings to be etched into a space that can be as personal or public as I want it to be.

    Have you tried writing it down?

    And since this is an art blog, I’m finding sketch journaling to be similarly cathartic, though in a way that I haven’t quite put my finger on yet. It’s therapeutic… but also creatively fulfilling… but also like putting a pin into the week and saying here’s where I am mentally and visually, enjoy.

    You should try writing it down.

  • regarding supplies.

    When we were in New York City late last year we went for a short exploration of the Public Library on 5th street. It is a beautiful old building and they had a free exhibit of really old books. They also had a gift shop.

    My wife and I met while working at a library. It was our after school jobs. You could say we have an affinity and a history with libriaries.

    So, stumbling upon the library gift shop it was not really surprising that combining a vacation in New York City with little gifts emblazoned with the NY Public Library logo was something that appealed to us.

    I bought four souvenirs in New York and two of those things were from the New York Public Library gift shop. I have talked about my leather-bound sketchbook in a previous post. I have not mentioned the pencil case.

    I bought a pencil case with the lion’s head logo of the NYPL on one side and a book quote on the other. I needed a better way anyhow to stow and carry my pens, pencils, brushes, erasers and other supplies. And now my souvenir of a great trip became a functional art tool that I bring with me all over the place… to make art. How is that for a great plan?

  • about procrastination.

    It’s not fair to attribute every lack of motivation to pure procrastination, but knowing when to call a spade a spade, or your lack of attention to your craft simple procrastination, this is as much a talent as any other.

    I’ve been procrastinating. I’ve been tempted to blame it on the weather (which is cold and snowy) or my mood (which is stressed and gloomy) but the reality is that sometimes I just need to pull out a sheet of paper and paint something and quit overthinking it.

    I’ve been procrastinating, and I think if I admit that fact it becomes the first step in overcoming the lack of motivation that is manifesting as an artistic dry spell.

  • on microblogging.

    Daily creativity is hard.

    Don’t be too hard on yourself for missing small deadlines.

    Just try to work towards “finished” even if you never actually get there.

    That said, and while finishing anything is a nice feeling, going to bed each night knowing that you accomplished something (even just something incremental) is probably a better feeling.

    Daily art. Daily photos. Daily words. Daily anything.

    I have a million reasons to leave regular notes here, and maybe I’ll eventually run out of reasons or energy to write about them, but for now my plan is to start jotting and see where it goes… daily-ish.