Being an artist means getting to know yourself on a deep level. We have to dig deep into what we care about and somehow express that in our chosen medium.
Making art is a process of learning to respect and love ourselves. Just taking the time to make art is a huge act of self-respect.
Showing up over the course of several months to make portraits hasn’t been easy. Some days I was barely able to ‘phone it in’. I didn’t have as much time as I wanted to really dive in. It would have been easy to abandon it. But something I have learned about myself: I’d rather lower my own expectations and stay with it than abandon it because of some notion of perfection or excellence.
I’m finishing a week after the rest of the tribe, barely getting over the finish line. I feel successful in my quest to improve my skills. I have had fun seeing improvement.
As I continue this adventure of self-discovery and expression, I am grateful for the art and writing that continues to reveal me to me. Thanks for sharing in this process, and for cheering me on. Your encouragement means a lot to me.
100/100 Portrait of the artist Cynthia Morris 9 x 12 watercolor on Hahnemuhle paper
the100dayproject
Inspired by Maira Kalman
I first discovered Maira Kalman’s funny and colorful illustrations in the Illustrated Elements of Style (Strunk and White). What could be better than a stuffy grammar book made entertaining by irreverent visual interpretations?
From there, I enjoyed Maira’s other books such as The Principles of Uncertainty. I’ve been an ardent fan and student from afar, studying her style and voice. She’s fiercely smart and joyfully expressed, and I’ve learned a lot from her visual narratives in the New York Times.
One day a few years ago, I was walking the High Line in New York with a friend. Suddenly, I spotted Maira walking with her friend. OMG! I grabbed my friend’s arm. It’s Maira Kalman! I SO SO wanted to talk to her, but when I am in the presence of someone I deeply admire, I turn quite shy. We followed her for a few steps before I realized I couldn’t bring myself to approach her.
I remain a dedicated fan and admirer of Maira’s art and multi-faceted, wildly creative life. Thank you, Maira, for being so wholly and exuberantly creative.
Paris, how do I love thee, let me count the ways…
There are so many things to love about Paris, but I’ve chosen a few of the civic niceties that make the streets of Paris pleasant for me. More to come in this vein. Vive Paris!
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She wants to write more…
Daily painting #25 of 100, watercolor and ink on paper, 8″ x 8″. She wants to write what she wants to write. She wants her work to be more meaningful and have a positive impact.
And she wants to play the ukulele, so she bought one.
View all my paintings on Instagram.
So many people
These days I’m practicing drawing people, especially faces. In a class I’m taking at Sketchbook Skool, drawing a face a day was one of the assignments, so I was right on track for getting lots of practice. Sometimes I get very overwhelmed when I think about how many people there are in the world. Every person holds a million stories.
All those stories! All the hopes, dreams, fears and lives that are changing every single minute. It makes my head spin. And my heart break. I will never know all those stories. I can only know my own and the stories and lives of a few people I know.
This piece is for all the people in the world. May we all have peace, love and a sense of home.
Photo taken at: Paris, France