a painting a week

Howdy Christmas! I hope everybody had a warm, snuggly, happy & safe holiday!

Here it was several days of hard work at the shop & also at the drawing table. I have had a couple of projects I have been working on for over a month that have been pretty difficult to hammer out, and spent the last couple of days really concentrating my effort.

I enjoy having an Etsy shop dedicated to the advancement of cuteness, but lately several other paintings have been tugging on my imagination. So many people on Etsy have more than one "style" or craft they enjoy working in. I am in the camp that believes these separate projects (usually) intermingle and can (often) inspire each other. However, there is a fixed and very definite style the shop has taken on. Since opening the shop I have found myself reluctant to give myself over to the day or so it takes for me to set up, draw, and finish a watercolor. Maybe its because I know it won't be in the shop, or maybe it is the time involved in painting vs. pen & ink. I have been trying to think of a way to remedy this.

Well, I took out the projects I have been orbiting these past weeks and cleared my desk of everything Etsy. Away mailing material, away pens, markers, ribbon, tissue! I began painting early. And it felt great! And three or four other side-ideas emerged throughout the day, always a pleasure!

But also, while working, it occurred to me just how soon I am moving. 14 weeks and I'm off to the west coast! Wow! I move a lot, and in the last 5 years have had the experience of getting into a very good work space & then realizing I'll be moving out of it far too often. All things to consider if 2008 is going to be a year of non-stop art extravaganza.

So while I am still out of boxes and have the available space, I'm going to try something. I'm going to try and see if I can finish a painting a week. Won't that be fun? I love the 365 project (example), where people pledge to do something crafty once a day, all year (there is a lot of pledging in the crafting world)... but this for me is a little too vague. Allowing myself a day every week dedicated just to my little friends the watercolors, a resolution that gives permission for creativity instead of setting restrictions? Yes!

I'll show you the results as often as I have a camera... and sunlight... at my disposal. Fun crafty resolutions!