The 100 day project after 70 days
What I can say from the very beginning, after 50 days and now again after 70 days: Engaging in the 100 day project was my key to break a stressful time. I was exhausted from an intensive year and had lost all my motivation after having presented in exhibitions and after nearly a year in the pandemic. You will know what I am talking about.
Against my personal prediction I stayed in the 100 day project and it became key for not only breaking the mental stress but bringing new initiative and inspiration. The framework of my chosen project #100daysofcolourcardsandmore created a focus. Suddenly there was a thin but strong red threat to follow. It turned out to become a very enlightening and restful time in my studio.
There could have been no better way to stay tuned and get some mental holiday in these demanding times. It turned out to be a kind of self-care time, slowing down, exploring in depth, not hurried by the next event to work for and not under self expectation to create the next fantastic work. I did so many other things and had (and still have) such an entertaining time!
To do simple, but pleasurable work, slow down, break routines, being open for new things was a key to break the stress and get inspired again.
I started the color swatches with a limited palette, the Zorn palette. It is incredible, how many colors you get from only two colors and black and white. In the end I made an inventory of all the colors I found in tubes and pigments in my studio! An incredible mass!
I read books – enjoyed very much the book from Brian Ruthenberg “Clear seeing place” and his videos which I highly can recommend. I did sketching in the nature, I learned how to make tiny artist booklets from one sheet of paper and I learned such a lot about color! And as I was in the learning mode, I even learned how to make home made rolls 🙂
My Hashtag #100daysofcolourcardsandmore, was wisely chosen to avoid too frustrating repetition and it was my door to explore other things as well. If you want to know, how it all started you can read it here ” How to boost your creativity with the 100 day project”. Maybe you are interested in how to start an abstract painting? You find it here!
Want to see some of my actions?
One of my new ways of doing was the experiment to scale up a painting from the tiny booklet to a really great painting. I liked so much the composition in the tiny booklet, so I made an experiment to scale it up. What do you think? I am not used to work with a model. So I don’t know yet, what to think about. To me it looks like a stranger.
What was the key to make it such a rewarding success for me?
Knowing myself well, I chose a very simple project – color swatches. I knew, that was feasible. I knew, I LOVE colors, they always give me pleasure. I was generous with myself and did my swatches many days, but not every day. I didn’t count the days. I have avoided a maybe interesting learning phase: frustration. If you do the very same thing so often, you will inevitably hit a frustration zone. I changed it to discovery, choosing 100 days of color cards AND MORE. So I was open for what was coming along the way and engage in many new things.
Would I do it again? I would!
I found out so much about my love for color and now live with many of them on the studio floor. Each time I enter the room, my heart leaps and I smile. I bathe in color. I also loved the part of the project that asks you to publish your activity. I like to communicate and show my work and I like to get reactions. A studio is sometimes a lonely place – of course not all that lonely because of my companion Prinzess Miez. But she is not really talkative concerning feedback – though very much when hungry.
I also appreciate…
three paintings evolved from this period, two I am very happy with, one – you saw the film – I don’t know yet, what to think about. But thats painters work. Try and fail, try again, fail again, try again, fail better and then succeed!
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