One of the best things that has happened is that in a very real way, creating art has lead to more creating of art. I think this is true of any practice--doing more has lead me to be more motivated and more inspired to do even more. It is pretty cyclical that way. And so, the more I create, the more I create.
Here are some simple principles that have helped me in my practice of making art every day.
1. Making art everyday does not mean finishing a piece of art every day. It can be anything from doodling/drawing while relaxing at the end of the day to adding a layer or details to a piece of art. most of my art takes many layers--I almost never finish a piece in one sitting. so I am not looking towards completion--only working on the process.
2. Finding my best time to work: I am at my most creative and motivated in the late morning, so I do my best work then. I find that if I get started around 9 or 10 in the morning, after getting the kids off to school, attending to emails and more mundane tasks, then by 10 I am ready to get painting. If I hit my stride, I can work for a few hours before stopping to do other non art related work. In doing art everyday I have learned that I have a pattern, and if I wait too long to begin, nothing real or productive will get done (unless I am on a deadline, in which case I push myself and end up creating on fumes--sometimes this pushes me to create my best work, other times it just feels desperate).
3. Having supplies at the ready: I know which supplies I use the most, and generally have them available when I get started. This includes the paint colors I use the most, the brushes, canvases, cups for water (really--you have no idea how annoying it is to be ready to paint and not be able to find a container for water), and a clear working space. I do like a good art supply run, but running out to the store instead of using that time to create is not so productive.
Here are some of the pieces I have created this year:
