100 Days Taught Me….

“No matter what your age or your life path, whether making art is your career or your hobby or your dream, it is not too late or too egotistical or too selfish or too silly to work on your creativity.” ~ Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

I began this work on my creativity, in earnest, a few years ago. With trepidation, I talked myself into exploring colors and coloring and watercolors. I progressed in my courage to keep going even though I was convinced I was not an artist or creative.

Little by little, day by day, each year, I am finding new outlets, new levels of creation, and the desire to keep going, keep trying. The key is taking it slow, knowing I am a beginner. I will make mistakes and create some pretty crazy things that may look like scribbles or mud. But I’ve learned to not sweat it anymore, and move on to the next creative endeavor.

I had a bit of setback this year, physically, and am listening to my body to go slow. But I still am enjoying the small snippets of creating that I am allowed.

I realized, during this project, that I reconnected with my inner artist. She had been relegated to the dark depths of my hermit’s cave. Now she is out and she is not about to go back there again. We all are artists, we just don’t know it. Or we’ve been told we are not artistic by someone who should have encouraged us instead. Don’t believe those naysayer voices.

I create in the kitchen, in the garden, and on the page with words and images…even photos. I bet you have many areas where you love to explore and create. You just don’t consider it creating.

Don’t give up exploring that side of yourself. It is your best side, your playful side where your joy and happiness reside. See what calls to you. Is it yarn or fabric? Is it clay? Is it chalk and crayons and colored pencils and paint? Ask your inner artist and inner child. They will let you know in no uncertain terms what they want to play with.

As I finished this 100 day project I felt excited, and am looking forward to this project now.  Maybe that is why this was my 6th year doing this.  It is a commitment to the inner young artist in me. And seriously, it is so easy because I make it so.  I do something that only takes 5-10 minutes a day and only post a few times a week about it.  And that allows the project to flow organically from within and make magic happen without feeling burdened like it is work or I have to do it.

So what is the magic that showed itself this year.  Well, I am no longer afraid to post my doodles.  And I hope to expand on them this year as my body will let me.  Or maybe next year with more formal drawing and expanded doodling. 

But for this beginner, it has been such fun.  I look at each doodle prompt, in the book I am following, and allow the creativity within to take over and do what comes forward. Sometimes it is genius and sometimes a bit of a mess.  But always fun!  For those that followed along with this project, thank you for your support.

Another thing I love creating is a weekly vase or two.

This week, I followed my inner artist and she showed me what she wanted to put in the vase.

A bit of the lavender blooming, along with a few pansies…

And the white nigella that have seeded all over an area in the back garden.

In this post I have shown some of the mandalas I still color, along with some of my doodles from the project. As well as many creative artsy photos I love to throw through filtering apps.

And I am joining in with the wonderful meme, In A Vase On Monday, from Cathy at  Rambling in the Garden.

All of the pictures shared in this post were taken with my Nikon Coolpix or iPhone camera, and some filtered on my iPhone using the apps, Pixlr and Prisma. 

All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2024.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.