Busting Through Artistic Comfort Zones

I'm smack dab in the middle of a five-week online art course that has me perfecting my procrastination skills and busting through artistic comfort zones all at once:

Draw and Paint What You Love, by Pauline Agnew

I signed up for the course before we moved with the hopes it would serve as incentive to get my studio up and organized quickly. On Day 1 of the class I felt like smacking my head against the wall, asking myself "WTF was I thinking?!"

Thankfully, I pushed through and engaged.  

I am tired, I am intimidated and I'm becoming an expert at procrastination when faced with new techniques that scare me. In fact, this very blog post is procrastination in action!

I'm also connecting with wonderful people, moving through artistic fears and learning a LOT.

All of this and I'm not even done Week 3.

I leave you with a photo essay of my journey so far...

new art class, new supplies <giddy> 

adventures in mark making, this piece has changed considerably since the photo 

more mark making, this time intentional vs. intuitive 

blind contour drawing of my hand, a first for me 

a charcoal portrait of yours truly - sans glasses, another first 

first ever figure painting based on a photo, huzzah!

 water colours in waiting for another lesson that intimidates me, procrastination through photography

Note: I sometimes post homework on my Facebook page too along with news, tidbits and inspiration. If that tickles your fancy, check it out here and click "Like."

Two Scoutie Girl Posts: One on Lying Fallow, the Other on Getting Things Done

What do you do when you're between dreams or projects? When you’ve just spent the most amazingly full few months experiencing all things good and tiring and fulfilling, but now it’s over?

I've over at Scoutie Girl this week, talking about lying fallow, possibility, and that space between.

"But what if I have stuff to do and can't really lie fallow right now?"

Do not fret my sweet, I have just what you need!

Funnily enough, last year at this time I was in production mode and trying to figure out how to balance the sweet slumber of summer with having to get things done.

It that's where you're at right now, you might enjoy my Scoutie Girl post from July 2012, with tips on reconciling the slumber-filled nature of summer with the ambitious tone of work and deadlines: On Summer Slumber and Ambition.

I love how the two posts document my opposite head spaces as they were, exactly one year apart. It's all part of the ongoing cycle of productivity...