February in review 2024
February 2024
Season: Summer
Heeeelp! We’ve overdosed on zucchinis! From one small tray of seedlings planted in October - there’s an abundance. You pick one ripe one, and the next day there are three more in its place - they keep multiplying. Take your eyes of them for the briefest moment and you’ve got yourself a bed full of marrow (oversized zucchini!) These guys are stressing me out. How much zucchini can one eat? Zucchini fritters, zucchini soup, baked zucchinis, pickled zucchinis. I gift them to anyone willing to take them, “ here you go, take home some of our home grown zucchinis, they’re delicious … wink wink.” Cherry tomato’s on the other hand are an absolute pleasure, a burst of sweetness, I could never get sick of. Home grown cucumbers are also delicious, far superior than the ones you buy at the supermarket.
Today I collected half a dozen bottles of freshly harvested honey from our neighbour Renee - she’s incredibly passionate about bee keeping. There are so many creative people living around here. Being in nature has a major impact on your mind, your stress levels, your curiosity and creativity..There’s a quote by John Muir that rings so true, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
As Summer winds up, we have started to prepare the wood shed. Barrels of kindling and stacks of wood, dried off and ready to use as the weather gets cooler. In a couple of weeks, it’ll be a year since we moved here. A cycle of seasons, my heart is full and ready to experience it all over again.
Lastly, we've been enjoying scouting the best spots for sunrises and sunsets in our neighbourhood. The light and the colour shows that are on offer are insane. Check out the sunrise from my neighbours property.
My work:
This month I started an 100 day challenge: paint one painting a day on paper. I find these types of challenges really helpful for a few reasons:
they keep you accountable
the process is more freeing.
I feel less outcome bound then I do when working on larger boards.
the paintings take less time, they allow for experimentation. Mistakes can be made, which is often where the magic of new possibilities is found.
It’s a great way to develop stylistically
I have only painted outside a couple of times. The weather has been too hot, and the paint dries too quickly. I’ve purchased some longer lasting acrylic paints and paint thinner to extend the paints usability. Problem solving is part of the process.
The things I’d like to work on next month:
Plein Air painting
Continue my 100 day challenge
Learn to make my own gesso boards
Shared resources:
Top 3 Podcast episodes:
Fail Like an Artist - interview with Amber Creswell Bell
A great podcast for those interested in finding gallery representations. The do’s and the don’ts are covered.
The Rich Roll Podcast - Survival is a Creative Act : Sulieka Jaouad
What it means to live a creative life, to be in a creative collaborative relationship, and how to mindfully navigate hardship.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Julia gets wise with Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Furstenberg rocks.
Top 3 Books/Audible:
‘Braiding Sweetgrass.’ - Robin Wall Kimmerer
‘Big Magic.’ - Elizabeth Gilbert (an oldie but goodie for any creative to have by their bedside)
‘The Museum of Modern Love.’ - Heather Rose
