Why did I start this Lenten project of painting watercolors on paper a little bigger than a postage stamp? My dad said our room is the size of a postage stamp and he couldn’t understand how we could make it work. I’m exploring the idea of having limited space and using it to express myself artistically. I had decided that I wanted to do art each day during lent, but early on I let that promise slip. Using this small paper gives me the chance for a small-time commitment that uses fewer resources. This way I can play with the paint quickly on a piece. I make five to seven at a time and decide which compositions speak to me the most.
I experimented with two techniques in the first two series. The first series was me painting each piece in its entirety. The second series I applied one color at a time to each of the five in different ways. From what I observed making a total piece one at a time produces better compositions.
I just realized the first two series were non-objective, meaning not based on anything I was studying. Just playing with line and color. I will try a few abstract series as well – studying something in this tiny room and painting it up close in detail like O’Keefe. The seam of a box. The corner of a painting.
For those of you who don’t yet paint or do art, this practice can be translated into other projects. This lent, I think mediation can be playful. Use the resources you have within your home in novel ways within tiny spaces to create organization or a new way of displaying what you have. If you have something you don’t want or need, give it away for free to a local charity. But first take a picture to document what you give away. If it’s not something a charity can take, then consider using social media to give away stuff for free (I can share tips for doing this safer and more effective).
