| Greatness is consistency.Meditating once is common. Meditating daily is rare.Exercising today is simple. Training every week is simply remarkable.Writing one essay rarely matters. Write every day and you’re practically a hero.Unheroic days can make for heroic decades. ~ James Clear |
It rarely fails – the way I get over the blahs is by doing something. I don’t feel like making art, until I’m engaged in the process of making art. I don’t feel like getting up and moving, until I’m already up and moving. Even though I know this about myself, I still have to make myself get started by a conscious choice and willpower (or external accountability).
This week’s artist – Victor Ajayia – has been an artist since he was 8. He started out focusing on drawing and photography and has recently begun expanding into oil paint. Be sure to check out his website, youtube, and instagram for more!
- The last Grit Gatherings is this Friday, from 4-7pm. The City will block off 9th and 10th Streets between Main Ave and Narrow Gauge for people to gather in a socially distanced and masked-up manner. This area will have tables and chairs, entertainment, heaters and lighting. The public will be invited and encouraged to shop at Downtown businesses and to order take out to eat in the event areas.
- Another option for getting out is to listen to some live music. Looking at upcoming events, there are some options at the Diamond Belle and Spiratorium.
- Have you made art in the last year? The Durango Art Center is accepting entries for an upcoming show, through Saturday. More details here.
- Here’s a video tutorial on painting a portrait in oil.
- Want to add an interesting background to the portrait above? This video shares a way to do that, and how to loosen up your brush-strokes.
- Have you seen Banksy’s new video (featuring Bob Ross)?
- Interested in learning calligraphy? Here are tutorials for all levels.
- Advice on how to eat a book. (I enjoyed the bookplate at the end – something I will one day design for myself.)
- Need a book? Maybe you can find one in the trash.
- Interested in adding to your knowledge base? Skillshare (an online learning community) has their annual membership available at 40% off from now until the end of March.
- One of the art coaches that I follow is Alyson Stanfield. She has a Salespage Blueprint Workshop that you may find helpful as you sell your art online (it includes templates).
- If you haven’t checked out the Powderhounds art snowboard auction, it will be up until Sunday.
- The state of American Craft has never been stronger.
- If you work in oils, here are some time-saving tips.
- Looking for a short-term art project/challenge? 1 Week, 100 People started on Monday and runs till Friday. You can still jump in! It’s a quick challenge to sketch/draw/paint 100 people this week. Details here, join in the conversation on Facebook here, or use #OneWeek100People in your posts on the social media of your choice.
- Meet the artist Margie Coates at Create Art & Tea on Friday from 4-7 (in the DAC building). Ask her questions and see her newest works.
- In amongst our order of books were tucked some fun new coloring books. From Kerby Rosanes to Johanna Basford to Bob Ross, we have lots of coloring fun for kids of all ages!
The only way to get better is to keep trying. This is the real wisdom of craft: not perfectionism but persistence. And it’s a lesson we all can learn. Craft, at its best, preserves the good in what has been handed down, while also shaping the world anew. This is a reminder that a better tomorrow is always in the making – and you are one of the makers. The world needs your art!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
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