The 100 Day Challenge: Fast Faces
What a roller coaster of emotions!
I don’t usually post artwork on social media that I am not pleased with but I made a commitment to show up, paint faces to learn how to blend acrylic paints better, and post them for 100 days. This is a growing edge for me and is incredibly uncomfortable! And unfortunately, I wasn’t born with this skill, so I need to practice. And practice, and practice some more.
Every time I post, I hear voices in my head that I really can’t paint faces as well as I think I can so I’m some kind of an imposter. And I have a huge vulnerability hangover after posting work I don’t like. That could easily be a recipe for quitting.
But I’ve learned so much in just the first week!
Painting 100 fast faces has taught me:
To show up
To show up regardless of how the work is going
That by showing up, I am practicing a skill that nourishes my soul
That showing up to my art practices is a form of self care
That showing up to my art practice with the intention to honor my promise and my desire to paint turns an ordinary moment into a sacred moment
That my art is a practice and practice is not the same as perfection
That showing up is worthy in and of itself
That showing up is keeping a promise to myself and that reinforces the idea that I can trust myself
That showing up equals consistency
That there are some brushes that work better that other brushes
That some colors make better skin tones than other (yellow ochre and alizarin crimson plus lots of titanium white)
That some paper is more of a pleasure to work with than other paper (108# gets too wavy)
That gesso is a good idea; it keeps the paint from absorbing into the paper too fast
That even though there are lots of critical voices in my head while I paint, I am allowed to keep painting. I don’t have to listen to them.
I don’t have to respond to those critical voices in my head. I can ignore them and keep painting!
All this and I'm only one week in! Can’t wait to see where I am in 94 more days!