A 30-Day Challenge—

I haven’t done these online art challenges. I’ve seen quite a few of them over the years and frankly I shake my head when I see people have posted  something they’ve scribbled off stating they were too tired and that’s all they could manage.

Really I should give them credit. THEY were at least trying to do it where I was not. They just lost steam and well, were hanging on.

I am in a group now where a challenge was issued to paint, draw, or sketch everyday for 30 days. We do not have to complete a painting, just work on it. 

Generally I do paint every day, but there are times I take a day off, when life gets in the way, or if I need to take care of studio business or marketing.  So this IS a stretch because not only do we have to paint or draw, but we have to take a photo and post it to our Facebook group each day. And when I finish a piece, the next day I have to think, “what am I going to do today?” 

I am enjoying the challenge—even when I end up posting late at night. The group is very encouraging and I’m certainly getting a lot done. Here is a piece I finished on day 21, “Garlic $1″, oil, 6×8”.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

“Green Beans”
I should really paint less complicated subjects for these 6×6″ pieces. (painted with my right hand)

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/444740

It’s good to set goals, to strive, to push yourself. Sometimes it’s good to go an extra 10 reps, to walk an extra block, or to complete a painting a day.

But sometimes life pushes back and you need to take a break. Having two surgeries in one year takes it’s toll on a body. The recovery of surgery on my left shoulder, my dominant hand, is going a little rougher than the right shoulder did.

I was feeling bad that things weren’t getting done. But this isn’t a time to beat myself up; this is the time to take care of myself. So if the floor doesn’t get swept, and a painting doesn’t get finished every day, I’m going to cut myself some slack—let it go.

I found I can do other things, like at 3 A.M. when I can’t sleep because of the pain I listen to interviews of artists on my iPhone, Podcasts at the Savvy Painter (http://savvypainter.com/series/artists/). Or, since iPhone has voice recording, I can record my blog so I don’t have to type this all with one finger.

So as everyone might start gearing up for the upcoming holidays I may take a nap and as The Beatles would say, “Let it be”.