Welcome to the second gallery of participant art from the most recent 7 Day Series challenge! So many of you responded after I put out a call for work from the week to share on the blog, I had to create two posts!
Thank you for making the challenge such a fun and enriching experience for all of us!
And now for today’s artists…
Connie O’Connor
“Well. I am not done!!!! So the experience is incomplete, but I will keep going. I let life get in the way. But I also give my time to yoga and meditation so I am not suffering. I do get hung up on not wanting to post something that is ‘not right’! So I monkey around taking pictures and editing them. And editing them. Consequently I am not painting!!! I truly love the communities you develop on Insta!”
Chrissie Gutsell
Jing Su
“By focusing on roses for 7 days I broke my stereotype about the flower of love. This series has been a wonderful journey in the art making and in the mind changing.”
Sheila Marlborough
“I loved the 7day challenge as it was a discipline to produce something each day and learn to talk about it and post it on Instagram. I also enjoyed the limitations of doing these small abstract collages, using no more than five collage bits and mark making. It was so nice to see Tara doing the challenge with us, also see what others were doing and the sense of camaraderie.”
Wendy Meg Siegel
“With the goal of becoming comfortable with watercolor pencils, this challenge helped encourage me to create a series away from my studio. I not only enjoyed playing with the pencils, I’m most surprised to find myself interested in continuing to create works on paper.”
Esther de Boer
“I was already thinking about a challenge for my self. Paint one month, every day a painting from 30 x 30 cm on 3D canvas. By doing this challenge I have more confidence for my own challenge. Thank you for this!”
Ilana Kapp
“This 7-day series experience reminded me that I actually have a “non-negotiable” need to create something (however small and simple) almost daily. Tara’s motivation, as well as her sharing of her own explorations in her daily emails, gave me a boost to really do take the time to relook at what I did and how and why and more importantly: Actually sitting down and painting.
I decided to paint a whale every day and the simple act of doing that (with her and everyone else who participated); helped me to now have a “touchstone” as a reminder to keep going and keep making art.”
Barbara Marzell
“My main benefit that I‘m taking away from this week is learning how working in a series actually helps me create more and procrastinate less! I jump right into painting when I have no decisions to make! Good thing I have a list of ideas for more 7 day series!”
Sara Egan
“My main aim was to feel free to experiment with media (soft and oil pastels) and images (landscapes) that I don’t usually work with, to access a sort of ‘I don’t care’ attitude about the outcome, and to work quickly (no more than 30 minutes / piece)… Pure process. It worked!”
Heather Barker
“In a busy schedule of family and work life it got me focussed and prioritising creating again. I loved just playing and exploring a different medium and have been inspired to continue the mindset and practice. It was also great having such a supportive and encouraging community to share the challenge with.”
Aniely C. Mussoi
“The challenge made me see how important is to focus on a series in order to develop our ideas. It doesn’t matter a lot if we have a previous ideal or not, because our best artworks will come from the combination of sensibility/feelings and cognition, or the relation between planning and executing.”
Lindsey G Thomas
Paula Funk
“Thanks so much for the 7 Day Challenge! It gave me a way to overcome some anxiety issues I had developed with art practice and being in my studio. Thanks for challenging me to play without judgement, and to create without listening to my inner critic.
For the past two years, I’ve only made a piece or two per year, and have had no sales. My joy in creating had been replaced by anxiety, self-limitation, and fear. The challenge was like an Art Life Preserver for me – giving me a new perspective, new approaches, and some much needed joy. And it was charmed, too – the little series of three that I made have already sold, and I have a commission for a large scale piece in the same style. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
And that’s a wrap! Thank you so much to everyone who joined in, shared, and supported each other’s progress!
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And don’t forget Touchstone is currently open for registration. This is the course for digging deep into your artist self, and beginning to create a mindset and framework that support its place in your life. Click the image for more details and to join us!
More interesting observations from fellow artists regarding the challenge. I could really relate to what Connie said. She didn’t complete the challenge yet posted. I too did not complete the
Last couple days. However, I painted longer than intended
The first few days. Now it’s interesting to reflect on the
completed paintings. I see that some are actually WIPs. I wish we didn’t have to wait a year to do this again because I’ve learned a lot about pacing myself and how to approach a 7 Day Challenge.. Thanks Tara for doing this and for your encouragement. Sally
Sally you can do it any time! I get that it’s easier perhaps alongside others but don’t let that hold you back. I may run it again later this year – we’ll see!
I didn’t see your call out, but clearly you didn’t need more! So much variety isn’t there? It’s really fun to see that and it was great to exchange words with participants as we all progressed. I found this challenge was a great way to connect with others who were exploring or experiencing similar things. Thanks so much for doing this! I know I am one of many who greatly appreciate it.
So glad you enjoyed it Shawna, and thank you for taking the time to stop by and say so!