The 100 Day Project 2022: First Quarter
I was wondering why the organizers of this year’s 100 Day Project chose not to start in January (the slowest month of my life), but now I’m seeing the logic–the first 25 days went by fast! For those who have kept pace with working on their project each day since the February 13 start, today is Day 39, but we’re drafting this blog around the 30-day mark. Of course, the beauty of the 100 Day Project is that you don’t have to do your 100 Days all in a row.
Today we’re checking in with the Alexandria Art Therapy team to see how (or if!) their projects are going. You can read more about Adele Stuckey, Celeste Cantees, and Dot Dannenberg’s project beginnings here, or follow them as they go @adelestuckey, @celestecantees, and @dotdbergpaints.
HOW’S IT GOING? WHAT DAY ARE YOU ON?
ADELE STUCKEY: I’m around day 30. I’ve noticed quite a block this year and am curious about the process. Pulling a daily card seemed very simple, but the content of the cards themselves may be what feels overwhelming. I am fascinated by the collective unconscious and this deck of cards by The Wild Unknown. Yet the content is so rich that I’m not quite able to hold the space for the complexity of the archetypes. I recognize that even in this process, there are no rules. So, I’ve invited in grace and, on occasion, will participate in a “catch up” card pull series. Who says I can’t explore several cards in one day?
CELESTE CANTEES: I am really enjoying this process, and I’m also giving myself grace. There have been times when I may not get my drawings completely finished for that day, or I may not post them online right away, so I have a catch-up posting day. Between two jobs, a 7-month-old baby, family obligations, pet care, daily chores and tasks, I am okay with that! I am on the fourth out of ten drawing themes, or the fourth “part” of myself that I want to examine more deeply through art making. I am finding that the tenth drawing of each part is coming faster than I thought it would, and that I may want to continue making drawings on that subject– like 10 is really just the beginning of gaining a better understanding. For this year, I decided to stop each series at 10, though, see how that feels, and continue making drawings on that part for myself on the side if I want to.
DOT DANNENBERG: It’s going better than last year! I’m finding that the small scale I set for my project is working out well–it’s easy to fit making a tiny tile into my day, and it’s super low-stakes. At the time of writing this blog, I’ve just posted Day 30, which is aligned with the project organizers’ timeline. I am finding, though, that because the tiles are so tiny, sometimes I’ll do two or three on one day and then have a backup for if something happens one day and I don’t get to make a new tile. This sort of feels like breaking the rules, but then I remember there aren’t any rules. I’m still posting about the project or engaging with it each separate day, so I’m giving myself a pass.
A FEW ABSTRACT QUESTIONS–WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE OUTSIDE? WHAT SHAPE IS YOUR PROJECT TAKING?
ADELE: I shifted my approach almost immediately. In recognizing that sitting down to explore an archetype each day felt more complex than I expected, I gave myself permission to skip days. Instead, I notice when I have the energy and focus to explore several cards in one sitting. Yes, I’m still labeling them as the days they would occur, and I’m okay with that.
To support myself in the process, I engaged in a practice that I’ve found helpful over the years–creating the structure for my art-making response in advance. So, I grabbed my sketchbook and traced small circles to create artwork in at the time of my card pull. By removing as many steps as possible in advance (think: meal prep batch cooking), I can sit down and access flow a bit more easily.
CELESTE: My daily drawings and paintings have branched out from pen drawing and watercolor paintings to oil and soft pastel work. I am finding that for each of the 10-drawing series, one main art material feels most fitting, though for this latest part, “Objects,” there has been more variety. Each drawing in Objects will be of something different, and so I am feeling the need to use a different material that fits with that object’s form and how I feel about it. So far, I am having fun with the parts of this project that are uniform and the parts that are different. There is enough to hold them all together as a group but also enough to set them apart with individuality.
DOT: To my surprise, I’m still mostly working with watercolors. The subjects have been all over the place. Mostly abstract, with a lot of organic forms. Way more red and orange than I ever would have expected. I don’t think the body of work looks super cohesive, but it’s beginning to accumulate, which is always exciting. I don’t think I’m actually getting any better at watercolor, but I have discovered some fun ink scribbling techniques that I’ve paired with the watercolors several times.
WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE INSIDE?
ADELE: I’ve noticed hesitation showing up with this process. The exploration of archetypes requires looking at the light and dark. The complexity of the meanings can prompt incredible introspection, but also vulnerability. At a time in the world where uncertainty is so present, opening the door to these messages can feel intense. I love the spark of “ah-ha” moments when the message from the card is spot on. This is what keeps me walking towards the door of the collective unconscious. So, I channel curiosity as much as possible. And the most intriguing part is that if I pulled the card, walked away for a while, and created a piece of artwork based on the description only – the artwork I’ve created often matches the card’s colors. I see that as the collective unconscious emerging into the conscious world.
CELESTE: The time I spend on each drawing has varied, and I am leaving myself plenty of space for this project to be whatever my day allows and whatever the subject matter seems to need. Some images need more attention than others, depending on how I feel about them and how invested I become in their aesthetics. I have very much gone with the flow and not put parameters around this. I work from this place as an art therapist as well–I enjoy and see the major value in inviting my clients to work intuitively with art materials, particularly at the beginning of therapy: trust yourself, trust your process, and trust that your mind and body will do what they need to do to heal and understand.
DOT: I feel a real calm every time I sit down to make a tile. I’m mostly doing these in the afternoons while my toddler has her daily allotment of cartoons or plays with Play-Doh. We sit together at the dining room table. It’s a nice break in the day for both of us, and I’m realizing that parenting doesn’t have to be so all-focused all the time. Maybe it’s just that my kid is beginning to be a little more independent. It’s been nice to have a tiny window in the day that’s just for me, even if I’m not always getting to be alone in a quiet room. I think there’s something to be said for doing your creative practice in front of your kids, and also for doing a creative ritual even if the setup isn’t perfect.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE “DAY” SO FAR?
ADELE: I appreciate the message from Day 12 –The Creator archetype. Whenever I feel stuck in a project or experience, Creator energy tends to show up–a message of possibilities and trust in the process. It reminds me to engage with curiosity and playfulness and not to be intimidated by the darkness that shows up in the world. From the guidebook, “this archetype annihilates preconceived notions of what is possible, leaving unexpected openings in the wake of its destruction.”
CELESTE: My current favorite is Day 30, the last day of the “Skies” Part series. I found myself wanting to continue this part beyond the ten days–to keep making pictures of the skies I saw each day. Being able to see what I call “good sky” (a large amount of the sky away from crowded buildings, smog, or obstructions that aren’t from the natural world) is paramount to my happiness and contentment. I grew up in the Appalachian mountains and have been able to look through valleys or climb up hills and mountains to see sky all my life, and this drawing reinforces the need to immerse myself in nature despite where I currently live.
DOT: I think my favorite so far is Day 25. This painting feels both grounded and unreal at the same time. When I made this tile, I could feel a new color palette coalescing, and I’ve found myself reaching for those colors again in the days since. Painting the stones also felt very meditative. Making a representation of something heavy out of something so light and loose is a concept I want to explore further.
WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?
ADELE: Prioritizing the time has been difficult. I have every intention of completing the practice, and then I find myself distracted by other tasks. I often coach clients around prioritizing self care or creative time because it can be so easy to flow through the day and think “I’ll do it after I complete these tasks.” Inevitably, time or energy runs out. So, I have been giving myself permission to explore how I can support myself in this process. What times work best on certain days? What setup do I need to prepare in advance? How can I make this process as easy as possible to access?
CELESTE: Time! Finding time, prioritizing time, working with the time in a day… acknowledging that there is time I have total control over, but there’s much that’s beyond my control. I have a 7 month old who is learning to crawl, so when I am home, my attention span is learning all new ways of breaking up time. Do we get the baby carrier out and take our two dogs on a long walk after a full day of work to get exercise and calm our senses? Do we put on music and knock toys around the floor? Do we prep for dinner or scavenge later so we can do other things? Do I get my drawing supplies out at the dining room table (my studio is now a nursery!) while I make sure the baby doesn’t run into the coffee table or put a dog toy in her mouth? Every day is fun and different and tiring, so finding a pocket of availability to make a daily drawing has been the biggest challenge so far–but a challenge I am having fun with, to be honest.
DOT: I think my biggest challenge has been trusting myself–trusting that if I keep going, something will come together on the tile. Sure, there have been a few I’ve thrown out because they’re a mess, but mostly if I trust the process of whatever I’ve put down, then keep adding things, something will eventually come together. As an entirely self-taught painter, I still feel a little insecure, even if I’m just doing a tiny, three-inch painting. I’m still working to let go of the notion that I have to have an “idea” for a painting on any given day. Just let the brush do what it wants.
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