| The Process:1) Decide what you want to achieve.2) Try different ways of achieving it until you find one that works for you.3) Do more of what works. Do less of what doesn’t.4) Don’t stop doing it until it stops working.5) Repeat. ~ James Clear |
I once rode my bicycle across the state of Iowa over 5 days. There were certainly moments of frustration but, overall, it was a great ride and a wonderful week. With that ride as the goal, I found a process that worked for many others and followed it for myself. Completing each step of the process, one day and one ride at a time, allowed me to progress from only riding a few miles to not blinking at 70-mile days.
- This week’s artist – Ekow Nimako – builds enchanting artworks out of Legos. He’s living the dream of so many kids – playing with Legos for his whole life! Be sure to check out his website and instagram for more!
- The Durango Art Brigade has some open art calls. Applications due by April 30th. Check out their website for more info.
- In honor of Earth Day (tomorrow!), Strathmore papers wrote an article about their sustainable papers.
- Looking for an art contest to participate in? Here’s the Paint an Abandoned House Challenge.
- The application for the Durango Autumn Arts Festival is open! If you know of anyone who’s interested in participating, here’s the application. They’re also looking for volunteers, if you’d like to help the DAC make it happen.
- This is one artist’s studio organization – far more organized than my space. Following along with her, my toddler will soon be getting into things so I’m about to revamp to ensure everything small/dangerous/toxic is inside locked cabinets.
- As creatives, we have so many ideas for our art and our businesses, and we often have a difficult time choosing between them – between what’s most important now and what can wait for later. Alyson Stanfield’s Artist Planning Sessions can help! In the sessions, she walks you through a multi-day process to help you find a plan that is a perfect fit. Whether you need a plan for marketing, art-making, social media, increasing your income, or just staying on top of your projects – Artist Planning Sessions can help! If you sign up, it doesn’t cost anything extra and you’ll be helping the Art Supply House with your purchase (and it’s discounted right now).
- Here’s the Korean National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art if you’d like to peruse.
- We are looking for a new framer. If you know of someone who might be interested, have them bring a resume and portfolio of work by. Everyone who works here is an artist of some sort. They need interest and enthusiasm – we can teach the skills if they don’t have any experience.
- Don’t let art materials hold you back – these hyperrealistic drawings were done with ye olde ballpoint pen.
- If drawing isn’t your preference, check out these mutant desert vehicles. Art comes in many forms!
- There’s a new white paint in the world (but not yet in our store). If you’re looking for the whitest white paint… I enjoyed reading about the different pigment sizes in use
- I recently stumbled across this post about painting tiny and thought it was only fitting to share, along with some of our new sketchbooks. A variety of sizes and shapes arrived just yesterday. I like small watercolor/mixed media books because they make it easy to always be armed and ready to paint. Here’s just a sampling of sizes we have on hand.
Just today I picked up a new set of paints in a new-to-me medium. Using the limited zorn palette gives me a solid foundation of colors to work with in only 5 tubes of egg tempera. Following this proven palette (process) saves me from figuring out my own color combination. I will also use exercises (processes) that I use whenever trying out a new color/material. By following known processes, I will end up reaching my desired goal. I will learn a new material and also have a painting out of the experience.
It can be fun and exciting to try new materials, techniques, colors, etc. Everything doesn’t always have to be new all the time – sometimes that can be exhausting! I’ve read that a painter paints, a drawer draws, a writer writes, a musician plays… It’s the act of creating that leads to being an artist. Are you arting? The world needs your art!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
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