Everyday Artist

Last year on my birthday, I made a goal to draw every day. It's been nearly a year and I have four notebooks full of drawings, and a few watercolor sketches. Sometimes I left the drawing to the last minute when I was so tired I could only put a few scratches on the page.

Leaving a task you care about to the very last minute doesn't work—you never do a very good job with it nor give it your full attention. Hurried work made me feel disappointed and dissatisfied. I started to just skip the drawing if I didn't get it in before I was dragging myself to bed. I also learned that it's more important to do the work rather than do amazing work. The act of doing was the journey and the practice that has helped me improve.

Quick watercolor sketch at Liberty Park

After nearly ten months of drawing I feel more confident about my skills as an artist. I even added artist to my description of myself in the "About Me" section on this blog. I have taken assorted classes in drawing, watercolor, 3D, sculpture and design...but I always felt less than because I lacked formal training.

Now, I know that the formal training is just that: formal. I prefer to be informal about nearly everything, so that kind of learning suits me just fine. I'm okay with not being perfect at this and I'm open to learning from people like Kathy Ross, a self-taught 3D artist who sells her sculptures for a living. I met Kathy last year at the Utah Arts Festival. I asked her if she'd mentor me and teach me a little of how she does what she does. She agreed to and we've been in communication off and on ever since.

I'll would love some feedback, thoughts, and suggestions on my art.