365 paintings in 365 days

1/365 Summer Rain 

And now let us welcome the New Year, full of things that have never been ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Do you still suffer from the wounds of childhood? It happened to me with painting and though I still dabbled creatively I would never call myself a painter. I'd actually do anything but paint because I did not believe I could, and if I didn't have a go I couldn't fail, now could I? But I longed to paint. (This reminds me of when I started to write fiction. Same story, just a different script.)

Then two generous artists entered my life -  Kate Forman Ortiz (who is illustrating a story I wrote) and Lucie Walker. Both speak the same language as me. I instantly connected with their bright, joyful paintings of people mostly. They celebrate humanity and all its colours. Lucie told me that I could paint. That in fact anyone can if they have the desire to do so.

And so I started. One painting at a time. The very first one was a riot of bright colours. It was one of those glorious moments when I was lost inside myself and time stood still. It was a meditation. It was a prayer. Now I paint my way to joy. I even painted my way to peace during our move to the city.  I paint and I paint and I don't care if no one else likes it. I don't care that I am self taught. And YES I am a painter. I tell people you are a writer if you write. I am a painter because I paint.

Today is New Year's day and I have started several challenges (because they motivate me), but this is the first one that I will share with you. I am going to try to paint a painting everyday - or at least 365 paintings in the 365 days we have this year. This is my first. It has been so hot here, and I realised as I painted this (like a stream of consciousness) that I was expressing my gratitude for water. As St Francis wrote in his canticle of the creatures: 'All praise be yours my Lord through Sister Water, so useful, humble, precious and pure.'

I will be posting a new painting everyday to keep me accountable. I hope to make it past this week, but for now I am taking one day (one post) at a time. Through colour may I give back to the world a little of its lost heart. - Asta x

'...in a time lacking in truth and certainty and filled with anguish and despair, no woman should be shamefaced in attempting to give back to the world, through her work, a portion of its lost heart.' - Louise Bogan.