I've been taking Kate Swoboda's wonderful new e-class
Across Mediums. Each day we are given a new assignment that builds on the previous day. It's been so freeing to learn to let go of control and surrender to the process, although I have to admit that I have a lot more control to let go of and a lot more surrendering to do. Each day we are only asked to spend 20 minutes on each assignment. With that idea in mind, Kate posted a link to the
20 Minutes a Day Challenge.
When I took the Artist's Way last fall one of the biggest lessons for me was the importance of small steps in getting things done, especially those things that seem insurmountable. I have tried to incorporate the idea of Small Steps into my life. It works really well with my creative projects and crock pot cooking, but there is still room for more small steps.
Reading Michael's blog and suggestions has really had me thinking about what one thing would I like to focus on for this challenge. Hmmm, a specific creative project, filling a sketch journal, blogging, finishing my February Ladies Sweater. There's also the Illustration Friday route...so a project a week based on that week's word.
Although the challenge is suggested to be something that one focus on for oneself, i have also found myself thinking about 20 minutes a day with the kids...each kid individually.
Yesterday I was flipping through a magazine and read a blurb from
Claudine Hellmuth about finding one's style. Her recommendation...make A LOT of art, and while doing this, don't look at the work of others. So now I'm tossing around the thought of X number of pieces in X amount of time being my challenge. So how many pieces are feasible in 20 minutes a day? But that just feels like my need to control popping in again to set constraints. I'm thinking of going with the sketchbook and see what else will follow. Who knows, maybe I'll actually get the FLS done in time to wear next fall.
Tuesday we had more snow here than we have had in something like 6 years. For us, this rare snow was so wonderful. I was helping parent in my 2 year old's class that morning. It was so much fun to be around all of the kids at school, and those adults who were as excited as the kids. We made slushy snowballs full of dirt and snowmen who were no more than a foot tall. Nothing like when we used to live in Norway, but so glorious to hear the silence than comes with snow, feel the cool flakes on my face as I tried to catch them on my tongue and to see the earth blanketed in white, even if for only a short while.
By Saturday the weather had warmed up and my little guys broke out the slipn' slide. There was still a slight chill to the air in the shade, but when the sun comes out and they get the chance to stretch their wings and wear shorts, their minds immediately go to water play. And they stayed tough the whole time, in the water that has not warmed up in the ground, goosebumps and all.
