If you follow any artists on Instagram (in addition to me of course), you’ve probably seen the projects they tackle as part of a “100 Day Challenge”. The idea is to set a plan for a project that one will commit to for 100 days…it might be exploring a new technique or composing consistently in one’s art journal or following a specific prompt for each of the 100 days. The idea behind such a challenge is that doing something once is a lark, doing something for a couple of days, perhaps in different ways, is an experiment, but doing something for 100 days will likely become a practice.
They say that it takes 66 days on average to create a new habit or routine. Consistent and conscientious attention is the key. I’ve never personally participated in a 100 day challenge…there hasn’t yet been any idea or topic that grabbed me enough to commit over 3 months of my energy to its execution…until I realized that I had sewn my 70th Artist Tote Bag.
You might remember that I decided to tackle all the scraps and yardage of fabric that I have accumulated and use it in a constructive way…making tote bags, hip and eco-conscious now, seemed like the perfect plan. Each one would be a little different and would showcase a bit of my individual collage vibe. You can read the back story here.
my photographic images were printed onto cotton/linen fabric via Spoonflower
Things started out slow…I was making up my own pattern and tweaking as I went along. I wanted the bag to be sturdy and useful…have a large outside pocket, heavy duty handles and a front loop for keys. As time went by, day by day, I learned to work smarter…though the fabric pieces I had were all different in length and width, I devised a basic size that I tried to keep within, a set length for the bag straps and a uniform method for lining the pockets and sewing them onto the front of the bag with no raw edges exposed. As I streamlined my process, I found that I could construct with ease and that the joy of combining fabrics and textures into a cohesive mix of textiles fed my creative spirit.
Though the process was longer than 100 days, I experienced several of the same benefits…I tackled a project with an initial idea, I stayed with it even when construction hurdles sprang up, I overcame obstacles with unique solutions and I had a substantial body of work to show for my efforts. And I’m not yet done…I still have materials for about 10 more bags…it would be more if my source for the cotton webbing I use for the handles was now non-existent (I guess its a supply-chain problem!) but I will keep sewing. The scraps that are too small for my tote bags…well, I’m working on a prototype for a smaller cross-body bag. I want to use up every bit of scrap…even the strips of fabric I tear off will eventually find their way into another fabric project or perhaps show up in one of my mixed media collages. If you want to see my Artist Tote Bags, hop over to my etsy shop - a selection of bags are available for sale with new designs added regularly.
This commitment to a daily practice is at the heart of a newly published art book of which I am proud to be included.
Collage Your Life by Melanie Mowinski is more than a how-to manual…though she covers the basics - supplies, tools, source for materials, design principles, she takes it a step further…encouraging the reader through a series of prompts (whether one is a budding collage newbie or a seasoned pro) to practice every day…as her mantra says “Practice takes Practice”
My daily art practice is not very rigid…some days I’m arranging a vignette…or editing photos or researching inspiring quotes. Other days I’m drawing out ideas for an original composition or making collage bookmarks from paper scraps (of which there is an unending supply!) And then there’s always working with my decreasing fabric pile, pulling together interesting colors and tones for the next Artist Tote Bag. But it’s always something…the consistent practice of exercising my creative muscle is the backbone of my work which helps to keep me on a path of evolving growth and success.
