Bex Hall

Bex Hall > Art Projects

Art Projects

Like a phoenix I have risen, somewhere along the road

I’ve been experimenting with choosing a symbol or graphic to think of whenever I need to check myself. In this case, when I feel overwhelmed, a little lost, and like I don’t have any control, I think of this phoenix.

It’s a visual reminder I can rise above those feelings and live my own dreams, whatever they may be at the time.

So I copied the cover art from this old album that has held a special place in my heart for 42 years now. I added some doodles and a sunflower to make it personal.

Like a phoenix I have risen from the flames

The 100 Day Project asks what defines success for myself doing this creative challenge. For me, it’s showing up every day behind the pen, the brush, or the lens. Doing and being then showing my work, mistakes and all.

From another song on this album, another message:

Joy at the start, fear in the journey, joy in the coming home. A part of the heart gets lost in the learning, somewhere along the road.

Day 1 of The 100 Day Project

Created from a prompt in The Artist’s Way

I started clipping images a few days ago from old catalogs and magazines. Words, phrases, images—whatever caught my eye. No overthinking, just pulling whatever stirred some inner reaction.

I even found a nifty book mark in an old Flow Magazine (for paper lovers, celebrating creativity, imperfection, and life’s little pleasures—a favorite of mine).

“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” —Haruki Murakami, Japanese author

As I study the finished page, I see some evergreen likes; art, comfort, rocks, kindness. On a more subconscious note, I see a diver going headfirst from the high dive and my placing “I love this” and “Love that!” close to it. Note, I’m not a diver, but I believe that’s how I’m feeling right now in real life.

Prominently placed upper right, a tree of life. HOME near center, next to colorful, soft bathrobes (my favorite attire the past year), and a quote by Jane Austen “There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.”

I’ll stop there with the armchair psychoanalytical interpretation and say this: I had so much fun creating this collage I want you to try it too.

Gather some old magazines, clip and cut. Once you have a bunch of images, glue or staple them to a piece of paper or an art board, or a scrapbook or journal. Whatever works for you. Do it over a few days even.

I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. Let me know if you do.

A closer look

What’s your direction today?

This morning’s sky was too glorious to let slip by without a few photos.

A colorful sky like this gives me hope and inspiration. And some motivation. Today’s direction toward creativity finds me clipping images from old magazines and catalogs.

I’m collecting any images that reflect my life or interests. Whatever catches my fancy, for whatever reason. Then I’ll use an old fashioned bottle of Elmer’s and a glue stick to affix them in an old scrapbook. Or maybe on an art board. Not sure yet. I’ll let the flow take me wherever I need to go.

According to Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way, Week 7, page 127, it’s important to set a twenty-minute time limit “…which will allow yourself to freely dismember.” So I did. But I’m going to do it again a few more times. I find myself lost in a most delicious way while in the act of clipping images!

Later I will arrange them in a way that pleases me and glue (or staple) them to whatever surface feels right.

I’ll post later when it’s finished. Until then, may your day go in the direction of creativity, wonder, and beautiful images.

“Creativity is in the doing, not the done.”

—Julia Cameron

What’s a phenology wheel and do I really need one?

Last year I kept noticing what are called phenology wheels pop up in my social media feeds. I learned they’re simply a visual representation of what is happening month by month in the natural world around you.

Every one of them is beautiful but I particularly enjoyed the one fellow artist, Rebecca Morris created. I watched it from its stark beginning to the end when it became what you see here. A beautiful and glorious representation of flora and fauna in her beloved State of California.

She is someone who inspires me. You can follow her on Instagram and be inspired too.

“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fighting with my desire to have a completed project right now, I was hesitant to show you how bare the page, but here it is. Imperfect and incomplete. That’s the thing with a year long project. It takes a year to get it done. And you have to start somewhere.

One of the aspects of a phenology wheel that appeals to me is the flexibility. You can track and record whatever you want. I’ve been curious about lunar cycles so I’m including that in my wheel. I started with one for the entire year in the middle of the journal then opted to add monthly ones too.

I’m also going to incorporate pages dedicated to nature. Whatever captures my interest and want to learn more about.

Last year I grew a garden outdoors in the ground and encountered so much I didn’t know or understand. I learned a lot but didn’t record it and this year I wish I had. So that’s part of what’s keeping me motivated to do it this year.

I’ll be glad I did.

And for you, dear reader, it’s not too late. Find a journal (or buy a new one) that you love. Skip the first few pages (if you need to overcome that fear of messing up a new book) and draw a circle. You can search online for a template to trace or copy. Or just free hand draw or use a ruler.

And once a month or once a day, add to it. A little entry every day leads to a big picture in the end.

I bet you’ll be glad you did. Onward!

Ready to get creative?

#The100DayProject is a free, global art project.

The idea is simple: choose a creative project, do it every day for 100 days, and share your process online.

Every year, thousands of people all around the world commit to 100 days of creating. Anyone can participate (yes, that means you!).

Want to join us for the 8th annual #The100DayProject? The next round starts January 31st, 2021.

Join the project!

For how to participate, click here.

For FAQ, go here.

If you search on Instagram for #The100DayProject, you will see the mass variety of projects people have done. From creating naturescapes in watercolor to knitting squares for a blanket. Some are writing one page a day for a book, some are snapping one photograph a day of a particular subject. I saw one artist sketch and paint local wildflowers. And just think, if you do one small thing every day, you will have a hundred things all together in the end. A book. A blanket. A portfolio. A body of work.

One of my favorite people, Austin Kleon, wrote a post earlier this month, titled 100-day Practice and Suck Less Challenge. He even made a downloadable PDF of a poster you can use (which I am) to mark off the hundred days. The concept is exactly what put me over the edge to commit to this project. If I practice anything for a hundred days, I will suck less.

No pressure. Just have fun.

I’ve thought long and hard about what I want to do and the thing that makes sense for me is to commit to simply do some THING creative every day.

As it relates to art, writing, or photography. That’s my jam for the next 100 days. I will share on occasion here as well as on Instagram.

I hope you’ll decide to join the fun. Yes, you too can practice and suck less.