Waking up to White

Woke up to white this morning and still coming down.

There is nothing plain- or simple about white.  Try choosing a white mat, or selecting a paint chip for a room color. Warm, cool, tints of pink, yellow, shades of blue... they are all in there.   Look at Monet.  Years ago, I saw some of Monet's winter paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago. White has never been the same.

Claude Monet, 1895
Sandviken Village in the Snow
73 x 92 cm
Art Institute of Chicago

White has been on my mind,  and on the canvas. My daily paintings this past week have included paintings of white Ugg boots and old sheepskin slippers with white trim.

Warm in White I
#13
Acrylic on cavas, 10" x 10"
©2011NanciHersh

Warm in White II
#14
10" x 10", acrylic on canvas
©2011NanciHersh

Accountability with a single step

Blue Slippers & Pendant
Daily Painting #12
Acrylic on canvas, 10" round
©2011NanciHersh

This holiday season I gave my husband a Photo Calendar with quotes. Fitingly, January's quote reads... 


"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"  Perfect since my daily paintings these days are of shoes...


So for my 2011 journey I have my list of goals, intentions and so on.


But none of it will mean anything UNLESS I stick to these 3 things:


1. Schedule my week/ days


2. Stay on task (!!!)


3. Work/paint/make stuff EVERYDAY


There I put it out there.


Day 1, so far so good!  I did my daily paintings, now according to my daily schedule, I am off to swim (think health, fitness, sanity)


Later I will post my special gift from Santa!!!

No Empty Promises Here

When I first began practicing yoga almost 20 years ago in Honolulu, my teacher, Rick Bernstein  promised that if we did 6 Sun Salutations on a regular basis we would soon feel better, have great sex, and more money.  That stuck with me. (Who doesn't want more of those things?!)

Marian's Gift
Acrylic on Canvas, 8" round
12/18/10
©2010NanciHersh

Now, almost 20 years later, I did still do them (almost) daily.   I would say he was right on all counts.

G for Great
Acrylic on Canvas, 10" x 10"
12/15/10
©2010NanciHersh

 So I get that doing anything on a consistent basis can create some major changes in your life.
In the short time since I committed to a Daily Painting practice I have noticed a few things:

1. Painting from life life brings a renewed energy to my work. I am having fun! yea.
2. iTunes Genius really is just that- Genius! Find a favorite song, click on Genius and you have a whole great playlist to listen while you work.
3. I am in love with color every day, all over again. Thank you Mary Buckley, Wayne Thiebaud, Pegge Hopper.
4. And as Andy Warhol, and Willie Cole have shown us - The Muse can wear some pretty inspiring Kicks!
5. You can do a lot of things in a day, but NOT everything, unless you lower your expectations. (tough one)

If the Boot Fits
Acrylic on canvas, 10" x 10"
12/17/10
©2010NanciHersh

12/16/10

©2010NanciHersh

What do you need to do on a daily basis?

Finding- and Painting Your Festive-Daily!

Daily Painting 12/14/10
Acrylic on Canvas, 10" x 10"
©2010NanciHersh

You don't have to look far to Find Your Festive.  Maybe festive is in your closet, or on your feet. 

The point is, inspiration is everywhere. In your back yard, your closet, or as I recently learned, on Artists Helping Artists, a live talk radio show hosted by Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry.  These two artists host a weekly live talk radio show. Their show is an informative conversation with helpful insight into everything from creativity to organization to marketing.   

One interesting show I listened to was an interview with the artist Carol Marine who committed over 4 years ago, to do a small painting every day.  Wow.  Now that is inspiring. 

For about 3-4 months last year I was doing a tea bag drawing every day and I loved watching the drawings evolve. While that series is on hold, I still have tea bags hanging everywhere and they often make their way into my work.

Altered Utensils, 2009
Wire, pulp, encaustic, collage
©2010NanciHersh

Committing to a daily practice, whether it be in the studio, or on or off the yoga mat is at the top of my list.

What are you committing to as we begin to welcome in 2011?