Do You Want to Hear How I am Approaching the 100-Day Project this Year?

Last year, I wrote about the 100-day project. This challenge usually begins in mid-February. For the past two years, I have stuck to 100 consecutive days. During my first year, I stuck to watercolor and ink wildflowers. It was a lot of fun! Last year, I focused on all things rocks and pebbles. This year, I gave myself more leeway, not just sticking to one medium. Here are some of my artworks from last year.

My Personal Approach to the 100-Day Challenge This Year

This year, I am taking more leeway than last year. Ok, maybe a lot more!

In December, I was at our condo in Florida. I went to Corkscrew Sanctuary with a friend. I saw mangroves, strangler figs, palm trees, and many more fascinating trees there.

Later, sitting at the little art corner I had set up there, I decided to study trees and bark for my 100-day project. I have always been intrigued with the colors and textures of tree bark. I even have a folder on my phone devoted to bark. Here are a few that I find very fascinating.

Then, I thought, “Why wait to start the challenge?” Since the 100-Day Project is a journey of artistic exploration and personal growth, I decided to start exploring then. I began by drawing and painting a few trees I had seen in my sketchbook.

When I returned to New York, I started looking at YouTube videos about drawing bark. I learned from Donna Miz that we never see brown in a forest. What we see is a mixture of green and red. This made me think. I painted the trunk of this Douglas Fir with sap green and its opposite violet red.

After the holidays, we traveled back to Florida. Our community started replanting after damage caused by hurricanes Ian and Helene. A Vera Wood tree was planted out front of our condo. It has fascinating seed pods. See the photos below.

You guessed it! I painted those, as well as other pods I am interested in.

I took a class a couple of weeks ago entitled Pushing Boundaries. While everyone else did a seascape, I did an abstract botanical.

Obviously, my creative curiosity is not allowing me to commit to any medium or style. So, this year, I am going to do all things botanical!

How I’m Documenting and Sharing My 100-Day Journey

In December, I decided to write down the date and record what I was working on. I will continue to do that until I have hit my 100th day. I am already about 30 days into my challenge. When the official 100-Day Project starts later this month, I will post one week at a time using the #100-dayproject.

This may not be what the project founders intended, but it will be a journey of artistic exploration and personal growth for me.

I already cut some stencils and prepped some paper for botanical prints!

Are You Inspired to Join the 100-Day Project This Year?

If you are, please let me know in the comment section! I'd love to hear what you are going to do.

Beautiful Art for Life Well Lived,

Sarah