the portofolio project – 12 weeks for me

i love this..i shot this right as epiphany hit about my portfolio project

so i’ve decided to join in the fun that the two Jens (Jen Lee and Jen Lemen) started earlier this year and start my very own “portfolio project.”  The portfolio project is all about amassing a body of art work – be it photography, paintings, short stories, etc. – over the course of 12 weeks.  All you have to do is declare your plan and then execute your plan (simple but yet powerful).

If you’re like me and spend more time thinking about making things and less time actually making those things then you see the genius in this idea.  i first read about the portfolio project a couple months ago but was hesitant to start because i had too many artistic interests and couldn’t decide on just one – knitting, sewing, spinning yarn, painting, writing, photography {my current love}.  Initially i thought 12 weeks of just making stuff in whatever medium would be an accomplishment for me but i’ve been struggling with finding focus in my art and a point of view for my work so i put the portfolio project on hold until things in my heart settled a bit.  Then yesterday after leaving the gym, it hit me – my first portfolio project will be all about the CANVAS – painting and mixed media. {Perfect} Why painting and not photography…dunno…my heart has settled on the CANVAS and I am going to go with it and see what unfolds.

I’ve only picked up a brush and canvas a handful of times since graduating from Laguardia H.S. of Music and Arts & the Performing Arts (a.k.a. THE FAME SCHOOL…remember the series FAME – Leroy Coco and the bunch….yup that’s my school).  To get into Laguardia I and the couple thousand other 8^th graders who applied in 1993 had to prepare an art portfolio and endure a day-long audition.  We waited months to hear our fate, but it was worth it. I loved my days at LaG. 

In high school i ate slept and breathed brushes, canvases, watercolors, and especially oil paints (not the mineral spirits and turpentine though, no one should eat or inhale that stuff .  Pearl Paint and the MET and the MOMA and the FRICK and the GUGGENHEIM were my hang out spots.  Back then student discounts were king, and a LaG id card could get you in almost any museum/gallery for free or for a real sweet discount.  Aaaah memories.  Anyway, it wasn’t until a few years ago that my passion for making things {making art} resurfaced and lots of paper+fiber+art+love later I am here trying to find my way…my take on things through my art.

So here are my rules for the portfolio project:

In 12 weeks I will complete 25 paintings – 2 each week and one for good measure {^_^}.  The critic that lives inside my head and tells me my art is no good and that i have nothing new to contribute has been gagged, bound and sternly instructed not to interfere.  For the next 12 weeks  i simply get to create whatever my hands, heart, and mind want to create – on CANVAS of course (I have to be strict with this or I will go nuts and spiral out of control).  Aaaannnnd, in 13 weeks I will curate what I’ve made on this here pretty blog and flikr {I need at least a week to photograph my portfolio}.

So, if any of you are up to play the portfolio project let me know.  Two or twenty is better than one.  Read more about the Portfolio Project here.

Live Inspired.