My 100 Watercolor Painting Challenge

I am an Art Educator. What does that mean? I went to school for Anthropology, and switched back and forth between an Art Ed. degree, finally I finished my BA in Anthro, and then went back to school to complete my Art Education license. I am not a Fine Artist. Fine Artists, in my opinion are no different than art educators, they just typically have spent more time in the studio than art teachers. I was "afraid" I wouldn't find work if I became a Fine Artist, but I have spent much time in my studio, working on my artistic skills. I still probably have not spent the hours and hours of time a Fine Artist has spent perfecting their craft. So, I have decided to give myself little challenges so that I will purposely spend more time getting better as an artist. About a month ago, I decided to challenge myself to finishing 100 paintings by mid November. Mid November has come and gone, but that is ok. I am allowing myself some grace and extended my challenge to the end of December. In the beginning of my goal, I was on fire, painting 2-3 paintings a day! Then, what often happens with goals, we lose steam. Right now, I am struggling to do 1 a day. ARGHH! I will not quit though, and I truly am enjoying the process, and the stages of development I am witnessing in my art.

The painting below is number 53, in my series. I started with people, and faces, and turned to a more natural, earthy kind of subject matter. I have been painting a lot of flowers, and elements of nature. This lamp was found in a deliciously expensive catalog. Sometimes I enjoy painting an item that I wish to own one day. It "cements" the goal in my mind, and helps it become more real. I am a very visual person, so combining a thought with a visual picture is more impacting.