After a discussion in my forum of my current online course
"Creating and Publishing Your Own Tarot and Oracle Card Decks"
with my students, I thought I would share this inspiration of mine and
an exercise with you my friends!
One of my all time favourite artists is Brett Whiteley... I've probably been to his studio here in Sydney more times than any other art gallery in my life....
You can go... this isn't a name clanging drop, so MANY establishments and insitutions have OPEN DAYS and in fact Brett Whiteley's Studio is run by the Art Gallery of NSW so it's just like a gallery itself now. It's AMAZING you can actually walk around his studio, JUST AS HE LEFT IT!
http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/brett-whiteley-studio/
I just adore his passion, his studio work method, ok ok ok not his downfall...
But lets's talk about BIRDS!
I have one of his prints in my home of "the Lyerbird" that I purchased at the AGNSW..... I LOVE LOVE LOVE that painting but more over it's the journey of it's creation.
Whitely was an explorer of concept that I admire greatly.
If you are Australian.... How can you not INSTANTLY smile and say YES That is everything I FEEL and KNOW is Lyerbird!!!!!
In his studio there is a note on the wall it reads
"30 different birds in 30 days. 30 days same birds 30 different ways."
I have always found THIS piece of scrap paper that I stumbled on one day when visiting many MANY moons ago, one of the most inspiring personal finds from someone I regard as an unmet mentor. It shows something beyond mear illustration of a bird it shows a deep willingness to really understand subject .
EXERCISE FOR YOU! .... and ME too!
30JOURNEYs
Commit to exploring a subject 30 different ways over 30 days.
The easier would naturally be thirty different subjects over 30 days, the more difficult 30 different ways, same subject.
These can be sketches, photo, sculptures, ANYTHING AT ALL.
Brett also made a similar commitment when on his scholarship to Paris, he created an artwork of the city every day. Some days it was nothing more than a sketch on a napkin.
it IS a very deep exercise so I suggest you set a start date and try it. Commit and start to really KNOW your subject!
I shall be starting today and will post my work here on my blog.
I commit to ......
"30Journeys of Waratah"!
My plan is to share different mediums including drawing, collages, paint, photography and MORE! I won't use things I've already done, I shall create new art big or small every day.
I was thinking 30 DIFFERENT Flowers but I already kinda do that :)
It is best to stretch yourself a bit if you have never done this type of thing before.
You could also decide on poetry, short stories, anything creative. EXPLORE my friend!!
If you want to see these as they progress, I will put a link up the top of this blog page "30Journeys" and if you would like to share yours, perhaps start sharing on your Blog, Website, Social Media Pages and PLEASE link in the comment field of my posts and share on my Facebook page so I can SEE!! I'd love too!
Just title it "30Journeys"
www.facebook.com/cheralyn.darcey
Cheralyn xx