Welcome!
Each Wednesday check this blog for a strategy, process, or reflection for illustration with the iPad app ProCreate. This Wednesday Wrap Up , though, is a question for you to consider. It’s a result of two events that happened close together and caused me to pause and consider what creating art means to me. After reading my reflection, perhaps you’ll comment or write your own post to share what’s behind your art making.
Inspiration
Two events meshed the idea of “Making Art Everyday.” First, in Lisa Bardot‘s beautiful community, Art Makers Club, she posted two questions for members: “Why do I do it?” What does making art mean to me?” Remember, she hosts #makingarteveryday, which are daily prompts to inspire everyone. And today, the wonderful and creative daily prompts of The Daily Create [ @ds106dc ] closed out its summer #MyFest22 by asking us to reflect on its premise: Make Art, Dammit. Make Art Daily [ #tdc3883 ]. And so, my daily art habit became a pause for consideration– why do it? what does it mean to me?
Talking About the Image
For the Daily Create, I snapped a picture of my desk to include my computer and my iPad, which is opened to a Procreate Title Card from my app gallery that says, “Daily Create August 22.” It’s the title card to the stack of thirty-one “daily creates” for the month of August. Markers and watercolor are behind the fairy my granddaughter gave me as inspiration. Off to both the left and right are framed art postcards from my CLmooc [Connected Learning] friends who also participate in daily creates and doodles. In just these elements within the photo are the important part of my art making: dabbling in art and linking with others. With COVID, these connections mean even more– each sharing is a moment of community and connection that makes the world better.
That brings me to the quote by Steve Jobs on the computer screen; it’s actually a theme I made for my Chrome Browser.
One of the ways that I believe people express their appreciation to the rest of humanity is to make something wonderful and put it out there.
Steve Jobs, 9 to 5 Mac
And that’s the next part of “linking together”– to share something wonderful with the world. Almost all of my art can be found on Flickr with a Creative Commons noncommercial sharing license. I’m putting it out there to inspire others in their journey to better the world and show the appreciation for all that is good in our humanity.
There’s lots of ways to be as a person, and some people express their deep appreciation in different ways. But one of the ways that I believe people express their appreciation to the rest of humanity is to make something wonderful and put it out there. And you never meet the people, you never shake their hands, you never hear their story or tell yours. But somehow in the act of making something with a great deal of care and love, something’s transmitted there. And it’s a way of expressing to the rest of our species, our deep appreciation. So we need to be true to who we are. And remember what’s really important to us. That’s what’s going to keep Apple, Apple: is if we keep us, us.
Steve Jobs, 9 to 5 Mac
And so I wrote a poem to add to the photo to indicate this idea of sharing and connecting with one another in ways that add “something wonderful.” We Make Art Daily.
Make Art
Dabble
Sheri Edwards
An
Idea
Linking
You to all
083122 245.365.22
Poetry/Photography
@grammasheri
Talking About the Questions
“Why do I do it?”
Well, I can’t sing and my body is too awkward to dance. Now, I do sing and I do dance, but with art, I can print it onto a postcard and send it off to family and friends.
I can from nothing but a thought bring something new — beautiful, poignant, or pointed– into the world. I can express a sunset or a feeling. I can show you the fairy in the leaves or the smile on a frog. I can show you the lights of the city and the calm of the village. I can give you joy and I can paint you protest. Art is the expression of life’s experience, fears, and hopes, a release of that into the world from which others can find their own release and peace knowing that we all live these experiences in some way.
“What does making art mean to me?”
Making art is a journey through color and shape and feeling and imagination. Stick figures were not easy for me. Making art means to me that I can grow and learn and create art that shares a thought from me into a piece for others to enjoy or ignore. I still don’t do figures well, but I’ve grown in other ways and in different styles. Making art means putting a wonder and a question onto the canvas in a way that shares the experience or the idea that’s in my mind. It’s truly amazing that from nothing comes something.
I can add a greeting, a personal note, a quote. It means I have something to leave in the world, something that shows a struggle accepted to express a scene in the world, whether that is a piece of nature, a bouquet, my grandma’s house, a bee on a coneflower, a portrait of a grandkid, a request for action, a sign of protest, or a message of hope that the world is better for all. Making art means I’m still part of the world, still one who wants to help better the world.
Try It!
And so there it is: community, linking, dabbling, sharing something wonderful that didn’t exist before and now put out there to make the world better and to bring hope alive. What about you? How would you respond to a reflection on the reason behind your art making? “Why do I do it?” What does making art mean to me?” Perhaps respond here, or perhaps on your blog or in your art. Let us know.
Thank you to Lisa Bardot and the Daily Create for the thoughtful nudge to remind us of why we do what we do– and to appreciate each others’ wonders.
And, I’d like to share the four main sources of connection that inspire me and give me hope every day. These four online spaces allow me to connect with others and share art, process, and creative options. They are positive, encouraging, and helpful to everyone. Though online and each a different experience, they are a sense of community with art friends.
- Jennifer Nichols Creative Journey — an online subscription community
- Lisa Bardot Artmakers Club — an online subscription community; and her prompts Making Art Every Day [My Previous Posts]
- CLmooc FB group [anyone can join– you are welcome!]
- The DS106 Daily Create [About] [My Previous Posts] Responses on Twitter
I look forward to your sharing, and hope you decide to join some community that will bring you hope and inspiration to create art for the world. Please continue to be a part of the #warmup4art series to learn and enjoy our work together! See my sharing at IG @42Sheri and Twitter @42Sheri.
~ Sheri
~Reflect curiosity and wonder; Go boldly and scatter seeds of kindness.
I wonder, if I draw a line... 