The 100 DayProject: Then and Now

For several years, off and on, I have participated in The 100 Day Project. This project is a free annual art project that takes place online. Every year a start date is picked and on that date you start a creative project for 100 days. YOU pick the project and then during that time you create, document and share. Those that share on Instagram use the hashtag #the100dayproject. You can look it up and see the many creative acts that participants have shared over the years.

Each year that I have participated, my project has been different but my goal has been pretty much the same. My goal: to more consistantly work on art. Not sure why I ever struggle with it. I have a studio in my back yard - The Little Art Barn! I'm not sure if I'm fighting my natural way of working and scheduling or if I have some deeper things to work out. Probably a little bit of both...

2018

The first time, I unoffically started the project because a friend was talking about it while we were planning our new year goals. I don't think I had found it on Instagram (@dothe100dayproject) yet. I decided I was going to start on January 1, 2018. And I did, on a new years day roadtrip home from Alabama, working in my first book turned journal. The book, "Stations of Solitude", a favorite I read in my early 20's, had 365+ pages so the hope was that I would keep going all throughout the year. Over the years I have definitely completed more than 100 pages in that journal, but I didn't even come close to completing the 100 days that year. I actually still work in that journal. Its one of the many I grab when wanting to do some creative playing or working out an idea.

2019

The next time I tried, my goal was more about finding inspiration while out of the studio. I had planned on taking pictures of faces. That could be actual faces of people or statues, drawings, reflections... the list and creativity could have been endless. But it did end at 53 days. When I look back on it, I love those pictures, and I wonder if it started my wanting to practice portraits and loosening up my drawing and painting skills.

Two years in a row I did post cards. One year I finished the 100 days, one year I didn't. Thats not saying I finished it in 100 days but I did finish that year!! That was 2020 and 2021. So much was happening in those two years that was out of our control. But family, art, friendship (new and old) and The Little Art Barn were a constant and I am so grateful. I really had fun with the postcards and will probably do that again sometime. I had no specific plan or vision when creating them. So there was painting, doodling, collage, encaustic, printmaking, sketching, stitching.... Some I gave away, some I mailed to people, but most of them I ended up matting and selling as mini pieces of art.

2020

2023

After skipping a year, I decied to get back with it in 2023 doing mini collages only using scraps. Goal: Use up the paper scraps I just couldn't throw away, while, of course, regularly working in The Little Art Barn. How far did I get? Twenty Two days! I think this year I had too many ideas and projects spread out all over that I just couldn't focus. Lots of creative fun but I did not use up many of those scraps and did not finish my 100 days.

Last year I decided to simplify my project. Only requirement, do something creative that easily travels. One day thrifting I found a small red hard covered book titled "This Way To Happiness". I knew immediately that I was going back to the first year and creating in a book turned journal. In addition to my journal, I put together a travel bag of supplies so I always had something on hand to create with. It went with me on trips and to work. It hung out on my coffee table and on my work table in The Little Art Barn. This year was my most successful year. I completed the 100 days within about a week of the official end date and I documeted and shared all but about 30 of the pages. This book has about 200 pages in it so it still travels with me. I love to look back on the completed pages as I continue to work through the book.

It's now February 2025, and we are soon coming up on day one of this years 100 Day Project. I have some new responsibilities this year in addition to some exciting creative projects, including a group show in June with the @weare_visible collaborative group. As I thought about this years project, I thought about the things that will pull me in different directions and how balancing those things will be a real challenge for me. I thought about where I'm at in my almost 53 years and what kind of personal growth I want to work on. I want something that will challenge me. I want something that, surprise, will get me in The Little Art Barn daily. I want something that is doable and isn't taking away from the time I need to spend on my creative deadlines. AND I want to have fun with it. So, this year I decided on another photography project. And now that I think of it, its similar to the last one. But this time, the subject is ME! My 2025 100 Day Project will be taking a picture of myself in the The Little Art Barn every day. Since I was child I have not been a fan of having my picture taken so this will be a real challenge. I'm sure some will be selfies, and some will be taken by someone else. Don't be surprised if there are some of just my hands or my feet proving I'm in the studio. I know for sure some I will look a total wreck and some I will look put together. This is going to be real life so we will see what shows up day to day. I'm excited for the personal growth it will bring.

The Little Art Barn

This will be my seventh year doing #the100dayproject and out of those seven years I've only completed it twice. So why do I keep doing it? I think every year I probably have a different answer. But I love an answer given on their FAQ page. "Because creative confidence is earned through practice. Because inspiration shows up when you do."

Here's to showing up in 2025! See you February 23rd!

Love,

Katie