Summer Project

The last time I posted on this blog was October 11, 2011.  Criminy.
I am bringing back "criminy."  Start now so you can tell everyone you were ahead of the curve.

I decided long ago to stop feeling guilty about my lack of blogging regularity, but as I've been chastised (gently, sweetly) by 3 different friends in the last 2 weeks, AND I have a new personal project, I thought I would check in.  Hi!

So here is the project.... I've been watercoloring.  I've always secretly wanted to be a visual artist.
[Sidebar: I was recently out with some folks and one of the people was a full time working painter.  I whispered to my friend Brian, "I wish I could make a living as an artist."  He whispered back: "You do, silly." Me: "Oh...right."]

Lisa Congdon "Reindeer"

 I even spent actual money this spring taking an online course from Lisa Congdon, whose art I have admired for a while.  The class was focused on gouache and acrylics (a very opaque medium) and I cannot say I was great at it, though I did create a painting I felt good enough to give my mom for mother's day (see below...shades of 2nd grade here).  Anyway, at the least it inspired me to break out the very nice watercolors that my mom gave me for Christmas a few years ago.  I've always been a little scared of them but whenever I use them time just melts away.  
I even love the failures in watercolor.  I am completely teaching myself from books.  And the best teacher of all:  trial and error.   Of which there have been, and will be many.

photo by Mati McDonough

Acrylic on canvas by Tara Faircloth

So.... my challenge is this:  a watercolor (or several) a day, for 18 days. (I leave for my summer gig in 18 days, but I hope to continue after.)  I will Instagram them and they will be displayed without shame on my fancy new badge above.  Feel free to stroke my ego OR offer useful critiques if you have them.