Goals

Anxious Gracie as a storm rolled in on Monday

Jake not feeling great

That face. I want to try and draw this photo

Night time tv watching. My legs are under Jake's head

I recently signed up for Jodi Ohl's newsletter. This morning the latest arrived, and I read that she will be at Shake Rag Art Center in Mineral Point, WI in 2 weeks. Immediately checked my calendar, and started calculating money to take a one day class in portrait drawing.

Then took a deep breath. And another.

Yes, I would LOVE to take a class from Jodi in person. I am in the middle of 2 of her online classes, which are a lot cheaper than an in person class. Mineral Point is a 6 hour drive, and I am going there in August for 2 workshops with Seth Apter. So after reality set in, I calmed down. I will now pay more attention to where Jodi is teaching, and plan accordingly.  What really put the brakes on this current pipe dream was the project sitting on the desk in the studio. I did the first 5 steps to this portrait. It is ready for me to pick up a pencil and start drawing the face. It's been ready for more than a day. And I haven't picked up any pencil. Why? I am avoiding starting because afraid I will make a huge mistake.

That is so stupid. It is paper, cheap paper. It was an hour of my time to prep those papers, collage them, and probably less than a buck in materials were used. So what if I screw up? Then I get to do it again, and again, until I have something I like.

New goals: finish what I start. There is still a stack of canvases, water color papers in the studio. I stopped because I didn't know where to take the next step, or how. Well isn't that special? It's a challenge. Do it. Do something, instead of stacking stuff up against the wall. The only way to grow as an artist, or as an individual human being, is to push yourself forward. Take those challenges.

Stepping off the soapbox. Today is the day.
Linda