Yet Another Way I Could Do Things

I'm fascinated by people who commit to making one art project a day (or a week) over an extended period of time. Collage artist Helena Deroubaix is one; he made a 4 x 4 collage a day.

Quilt artist Jeanne Williamson is another. From January 1, 1999, through December 31, 2005, she made one small quilt a week, working with a different size each week, for a total of 365. This year, she's making one mixed media piece per week. She sets boundaries for herself each year. One of them is that she can't throw out the original piece and start over, even if she doesn't like it. I adapted a similar methodology during the three years I wrote a sermon every week. Once I chose the text I was going to preach on, I only altered the decision in extraordinary circumstances. Often the end result when you muddle through is better than first expected -- which is, I suppose, why Jeanne Williamson makes that deal with herself.

Once a week feels onerous, but every time I read about a once-a-day project, I'm tantalized. What would happen if I decided to use that approach for the It's Only a Book art? If I did, I'd post a scan here each day.

What's my hesitation? Fear of public humiliation, I suppose. Not because of the quality of the art -- what the heck do you expect from me if I'm churning out one a day?? -- but because of my concern over what would happen if I started, went gung-ho for a month, and then wandered off to do something else. My deep dark secret, the one that everybody who knows me already knows, is that I'm ADHD. We are FAMOUS for wandering off and doing something else.

Now that I've written it down, the fear feels far less horrendous. I'm the only one who, in real life, would care. It's only in the far reaches of my imagination that the great ship of state runs aground if I fail to make one postcard a day for a year.

I'll get back with you on what I decide.