A year of self-imposed challenges

Mini lino blocks by Toni Hartill for #30daychallenge

Every year since about 2013, when I was able to devote more of my time to my arts practice, I have set myself goals for the coming year to help to direct my creative energies. I always have one key goal that is a catch phrase for the year  that I use whenever I get stuck. Usually its as simple as "build new connections", "experiment and explore", or, when I felt like I needed to reign in my desire to trial every possible printmaking technique: "focus and hone."

Leading up to the new year I mull over what I have achieved in the year gone by and consider what change or improvement I want to make to my current practice. What's working for me and what's not.

"Tears of Rangi -Too late" Detail, monoprint, Toni Hartill 2017.

Last year's goal: "Choose then DO!" 

Last year I created some of my biggest works in print, "boldly" going where I hadn't gone before and had works selected for some key exhibitions which was all well and good. I consciously chose what I would commit to for the year and met all of my chosen deadlines BUT I still spent a lot of energy second guessing, dithering, and coming up with lots of ideas of "great" projects that... are still in sketchbook phase - how many of us have a lifetime's worth of work dreamt up in our sketchbooks that we never get around to creating? Is it because we doubt whether it will work? ...because we are short on time? ...would anyone else be interested????? etc... When I flick back through my sketchbook I have enough work to keep a studio of assistants fully employed for several years! ha! if only!

Moth Plant linocut by Toni Hartill

Start as I mean to go on: printing session Jan 1st 2018!

 This year's goal!

All the same ol' chants of "focus", "just do it" and "follow through" came to mind, again. Refining these ideas in my mind I hit upon the catch phrase "Be Prolific!" My plan is that by being prolific I will be driven to banish some of my procrastination demons and hopefully produce some work I am proud of as well as actioning some of my many ideas AND meeting some deadlines.

And yes, "life" will constantly still get in the way. (Tip: Don't be fooled into thinking that when your children grow up that your role as a parent becomes any less important or less time consuming - the goal posts just move, constantly, and get higher!) So, in the midst of renovating our tired old kitchen and supporting our sons through some big life challenges I feel like I need some way that I can take small bites of creativity to keep the momentum going so that when I get a window of opportunity to hit the studio, I'm ready! To be prolific!

A recommendation:

 

Incidentally, over the summer I read a very helpful book that was just the right thing at the right time: "Creative Strength Training" by Jane Dunnewold. "Prompts, exercises and personal stories for encouraging artistic genius!" Its a practical guide to getting on with being an artist amidst all the other distractions and excuses, including overcoming stumbling blocks, disbanding the committee, the power of giving yourself limitations, learning to make time, mining for content. etc. I found it to be a very helpful guide as I was planning for the year ahead.

Facebook vs Instagram: 

As a result of reading this book I decided I needed to limit distractions! Namely the likes of online distractions, such as Facebook! If there is ever something that can suck up time its opening facebook and being distracted by the news feed full of random news articles, videos and cute animal stories and everyone's wonderful social lives of lunches out and holidays abroad. Less and less do I see posts that inspire my work or are by other artists I follow. So, fine, I have opened an Instagram account. I follow only artists who's work I am inspired by, and no-one that posts pics of their adorable children/holidays/food/pets.... I now use facebook as I might pick up a well-fingered, slightly out of date magazine in a doctor's waiting room - for a quick flick through every now and then. So I'm probably well behind the eight-ball in online gos' and stories but hey ho, life goes on and I am wasting less of my time for it.


So, how do I take small bites of creativity to keep me primed to pounce? I chanced upon a link on Instagram for an online challenge:

#30daysketchbook2018 - Toni Hartill

#30daysketchbook2018

Starting on the first of January, and provided with daily prompts, any media, any style, no pressure. I could share online if I wanted to... or not. I had an incomplete sketchbook from starting the 100 day challenge last year and I do hate an unfinished book, so why not? Some days were creative bliss of puddling away for an indiscriminate time, other days were quick fire bursts of randomness. I practiced trying not to overthink what I thought I should do, to convince myself it didn't have to be THE best/cleverest/ most profound... image of whatever the prompt suggested (other perfectionists will understand.) 30 days is easy to keep track of: the date of the month is the clue! And its more finite and reachable than 100 days, which, having done at least three 100 day challenges now, they seem to go on f-o-r-e-v-e-r! I have MANY goals I would like to shoot for and so setting myself the challenge of a 30 day challenge every month of the year seems like an achievable way of tackling a few of them.

Lino print experimentation #30daychallenge - Toni Hartill 

30 days of block printing

February is coming to a close today and I have just completed, well 28 days, being February, of block printing. And what a productive and fun challenge this has been - so much so that I will need to continue this in some form for the  next month! So much more to discover! Working on small sample-sized pieces of lino, using up some of my scraps, I have created many, many wee blocks which I have printed in many combinations, exploring colours, patterns, layering effects, ink applications, embossing... Using these small samplers I have then followed through to create mini editions and a small body of work to use for an upcoming deadline PLUS to inform my ideas for working larger towards a couple of bigger projects for later in the year. "Two birds, one stone" and all that.

Lino print experimentation #30daychallenge - Toni Hartill

Lino print experimentation #30daychallenge - Toni Hartill

 So, what will my next challenge be? 

hmmmm.... mulling it over today to decide...

Follow me on Instagram and or facebook 

(I do still share most, but not all, of my posts to fb) if you are interested. 

You can view the images of my challenges on either of these sites and you don't have to be a member as the profiles are public. 

Join me in a challenge if you like, I'd love to have your company!

BTW I'm also aiming to set myself a few "other" challenges for a bit of "life balance" - February was also a month of.... planking!! hehe, started out straining for 10-15 secs... can now do 2 minutes! Pretty boring though, as far as challenges go...

100 Days Project - 14 days of "going rogue".

100 Days Project, 2017 - Toni Hartill

Fourteen days down and all's swell!

My decision to "go rogue" feels like a little burst of freedom!  This year I decided to not register and to unofficially take part in this year's NZ 100 Days Project  .. and so far, so good. 

I've participated twice before and got a lot out of the experience but... I have to say the experience can become a bit of a slog at times as I feel the pressure (all self-imposed of course) of needing to present my project publicly. 

This time I'm NOT regularly uploading my progress so I'm not worrying about how the images might "read" in sequence, whether the drawings relate, or flow, or make sense... although I do still care whether the drawings are any good... but then, I don't have to show anyone... so that's ok then!

This time I'm still, so far, looking forward to when I sit down with my sketch book. I'm allowing myself to draw whatever takes my fancy at the time. I'm allowing myself to play with whatever medium I might have at hand. I look online for inspiration if I'm lacking some days eg. at illustrators' works, and allow myself to be led off on random tangents to try something new. 

NEVER thought I'd draw from photos of celebrities (!) Did you?!

So far, media I've used includes: 

pencil, ball point and fine-line pens, watercolours, brush pens and Promarker markers.

Illustrators/artists who have inspired me:

Danny Gregory

Tommy Kane

David Hughes

Eva Magill Oliver

I'd love to hear from you 

if you are taking part in a 

100 Days Project 

whether it be 

official or otherwise!

Hope its going well and, first and foremost, that you are ENJOYING IT!

100 Days Project... for a third time... but not officially....

I have participated twice before, officially. The first time was in 2013 when I did drawings every day - you can view past posts about that project HERE. I kept it super simple and gave myself clear guidelines so there would be no excuse as to why I couldn't complete a drawing a day. My rules were: 1. use only black ballpoint pen - no dithering about what medium to use on any day and nothing is more transportable or accessible. 2. all drawings were to fit within the pages of my little sketchbook. I allowed myself a 1/4 page, a 1/2 page or a full page each day. Some drawings were therefore able to be tiny and would share the page with other drawings so this took away some of the pressure of a blank page staring back at me.

100 Days Project 2013, Toni Hartill

The next time I took part was last year, 2016 - doesn't seem so long ago now that I'm starting a NEW project! Again I kept it simple: Mark making every day - you can read about this project HERE. This time I didn't intend to create one complete image every day, just to create marks every day, ideally part and parcel of my regular arts practice. This could be simply the process of carving into a lino block, drawing, cutting stencil patterns, stitching, printing... anything that created a mark. The one unifying element was that I used paper torn or cut to 15 cm square with the intention of building a "compendium" of mark making that I can continue to add to and refer back to. I could use any medium and I could layer up effects to encourage experimentation and "play." I learnt lots about new ways (for me) of creating marks that have lead directly into my printmaking and I continue to refer back to the project and to add to it - a fab resource.

100 Days Project 2016, Mark Making by Toni Hartill

100 Days Project 2016, Mark Making by Toni Hartill

Each time I have had a primary goal to try to develop a habit, learn and/or hone skills, push myself to try new things and to work harder in my arts practice. I have purposely steered away from creating a finished "product." Personally I battle constantly against the urge to achieve perfection which so often gets in the way of keeping the creative juices truly flowing. Being part of an on-line community is fantastic in many ways but the urge to present a public face, posting images regularly, feels like it still corrals me into "presenting" my progress, and inhibits me from wanting to show the complete stuff-ups I am well capable of creating, but which I can learn oh so much more from. When the opportunity to sign up again came along I was so, so tempted to push the big red button to REGISTER but I'm pleased to say... I resisted!

My intention THIS TIME is to take part entirely on my own terms.

Sketchbooks by Toni Hartill

This time, again, I will simply DRAW. I will use any medium that takes my fancy. I will begin by using a cheap-as-chips spiral bound sketch book but allow myself to wander off into other sketch books I have on the go or on whatever actually takes my fancy. I won't be posting images every day. I won't even post all of my images - so I have no intention of necessarily showing you all of my complete cock-ups, although I might show you the odd one.... I'll post a smattering of images now and then to show progress and, hopefully to keep myself committed to the task. In essence I'm going to (try) to draw like no-one is watching!

Feel free to ask how I'm doing at any stage, your support might be just what keeps me going!

"Kiss Me Before You Go" by Danny Gregory

The final inspiration that decided me to commit (albeit with myself) to taking part was having recently read a gorgeous book called "A Kiss Before You Go" illustrated and written by Danny Gregory. This book is presented as if it is one of his actual sketch books filled with his quirky, delightful images telling the story of events in his life (its a very sad story but it also shows a lot of spirit and hope and captures the minutiae of his life so beautifully.)

"Kiss Me Before You Go" by Danny Gregory

"Kiss Me Before You Go" by Danny Gregory

Take a peak at some of Danny's work HERE. I have long drooled over sketchbooks and workbooks by many artists and long aspired to develop the skills to be able to do this myself.

So, this is it!
I'm going to give it a crack!
Watch this space and I might just share some of it with you.


You can read all about the NZ 100 Days Project here.

100 Days Project.... again!

50 days of mark making by Toni Hartill

Yep, I'm doing it again!

I first participated in the 100 Days Project back in 2013.

You can link to my earlier blogs about this here.

And you can find out more about the "100 Days Project" here.

I found the experience of repeating a  specific creative task every day for 100 days was ultimately a great exercise in reinforcing and honing a skill.

I dithered A LOT about whether I would take part again as I found it was fairly all-consuming last time. If I was taking part again I wanted it to inform and enhance my current arts practice and not be a distraction.

My project this time is 

MARK-MAKING

everyday, for 100 days.

Progress at Day 30 of 100 Days Project
by Toni Hartill

This time I am not focused on an end "product". Nor am I aiming at producing a mark a day or a finished page or image per day. My focus is to simply create marks every day in order to explore, experiment and play at different ways of working, using a variety of media and combinations of media with the aim of adding to my "vocabulary" of mark making skills.

Some days I am simply mark-making for the sake of the project.

Drypoint over/under various layers
by Toni Hartill

 However, on most days I am actively experimenting with ways of increasing my toolbox of techniques to use in particular projects I am currently working on or planning. 

Embossing textures by Toni Hartill

Some days I resort to using a simple mark in a variety of ways to see where it leads me.

Linocut patterns by Toni Hartill

Other days, through the "need" to create a mark for the project, I come up with ideas of ways of working that I may not have considered before. There are a lot of "happy accidents" happening.

Stitching over collograph by Toni Hartill

In planning for the project I searched for artist models that could inspire me along the way, especially for the days when no other inspiration came a-calling. 

On some days I am directly referring to particular artists' works:

Steph Houstein

Dremel mark making by Toni Hartill

Carrie Ann Plank

Collograph prints by Toni Hartill

Hinke Schreuders

Stitching over printed image by Toni Hartill

Helen Terry

Stitching over printed images by Toni Hartill

Irena Keckes

Linocut patterns by Toni Hartill

Other days I use artists to refresh my thinking and set me on a new path if I am stuck or feeling at the end of a particular exploration. (This is where Pinterest comes in real handy.)

Karine Leger

Sarah Amos

Melissa Smith

Anne Moore

Sophie Munns

Elizabeth Couloigner

Alice Fox

India Flint...

Often the sea is the focus of my mark making - this is usually because I am working through particular ideas for various projects.

Collograph plates by Toni Hartill

Collograph and drypoint print by Toni Hatill

Drypoint with added tone and highlights by Toni Hartill

Various seas - drypoint with added tone by Toni Hartill

Caustic etched lino prints by Toni Hartill

Linocuts using dremel by Toni hartill

Alternatively, on many days I am just creating marks and patterns, often that I wouldn't normally use, to see where they take me and enjoying the freedom of "playing." 

Drypoint and stitching by Toni Hartill

Drypoint and stitching by Toni Hartill

Drypoint and carborundum plate by Toni Hartill

Drypoint and carborundum prints by Toni Hartill

Multiple layers including drypoint, collograph and linocut
by Toni Hartill

What I like best about how this project is progressing is how new questions are constantly arising prompting new and unexpected explorations and directions. Some days I have so many new ideas flying at me that I wonder how I can retain them all to work on over time - I may need another 100 days!

So, 50 days down.... another 50 to go.

It seems I have the makings of a compendium of mark making!

Watch this space...

Visit my link on the 

100 days project website here.

100 Days project - mission accomplished!

My completed Pocket sized visual diary.

This year's 100 day project started way back on June 7th and finished on September 14th (yesterday) with a show which was open to the public until Sunday afternoon. It was fantastic meeting other 100-dayers and sharing our tales of highs and lows. It was amazing to see how much creativity there was going on in the community from people of all ages and abilities. There were the ultra polished, very professional projects by graphic artists and photographers, through to family projects and also the most endearing projects completed by children. Everyone agreed that it was a wonderful experience to take part in and although it required a lot of stamina and commitment, the sense of achievement was great. I'm sure everyone has learnt a little something more about themselves and their abilities and for many it will be a stepping stone to more challenges. Although everyone was heaving a huge sigh of relief that it was over, the conversations didn't take long til someone uttered the words "next time I'm going to...." .... yeah, nah.... we'll see.....

You can view my earlier posts on my 100 Days Project, 2013 HERE.

Here are few highlights of the last few days...

Day 87: The Barrel Store - our venue for a print group exhibition

Day 96: Rock pools - a current fascination.

Day 90: spent framing works for an upcoming exhibition.

Day 98: Puss sitting up at the table opposite me.

Day 99: RIP little pen, you served me well.

Day 100: The End.

100 Days - Day 85, 15 days to go!

As I come to the end of the 100 Days project I'm thinking about what I have gained from the experience and what I might do if I was to do it again. I'm already planning a few shorter projects to do on my own because it's a great way to get things happening and to achieve a particular task.

So, as the project draws to an end - only 15 days to go - here are my thoughts on an insight I have gained from participating in this project:

One of the reasons I wanted to be disciplined to draw everyday is because, having returned to my arts practice after a long break, I have wanted to get back to doing some illustration work and I wanted to develop my own style and polish my skills. I haven't drawn much at all for a long time so I was feeling very rusty and doubtful.  Very early on in the project however, when I had completed perhaps 2 or 3 pages, I shared my book with others at an artists' network meeting and the feedback I received made me realise that I did, in fact, already have a "style" to my work. It also made me appreciate and accept (at long last) that no matter how I might try or think otherwise, I still have an intense attention to detail. It's how I work, it's what I do. I suddenly realised "why fight it? Just accept it and make the most of it."

So, my insight was of acceptance of my way of working.

You can view my earlier post on this project HERE.

A number of us will be exhibiting our projects down at Britomart in Auckland City on Day 100, September 14th 6 -10pm. It will also be open for viewing on Sunday 15th until 4pm.

In the meantime here are a few of my highlights since Day 50.

Day 51

Day 57

Day 59

Day 69

Day 72

Day 74

Day 80

Day 81

Day 84