Going round in circles!

I am writing this on day 12 of the 100 Day Project and just wanted to reflect briefly on what I have learned so far :)

My theme for this year is 100 days of mixed media circles and, you may have read my previous post where I described the steps that I was taking to help me stay focused this year. I even worked out a colour palette, prepped some papers and gathered supplies in readiness....it felt like packing my bag for the first day of school!

And so?

Well, the good news is that I have created every day so far which I am very pleased about!

Here are my makes from Days 1-6. As you can see, I am sticking to my colour palette (being honest, some days I like it more than others!) and am trying to keep it loose. I have managed to include some of my favourite things including stencilling, stitching, gel printing and collage.

But, I have noticed something too....

As the days have gone on, it has got heavier. I have felt less playful and more concerned about 'messing it up' - messing what up, I have no idea! My inner voice has become preoccupied with having something finished to photograph after each session and has also started to ask - what are these for? What are you going to do with them? These are all familiar mental habits of a head that bounces between being productive and being perfect! If I don't have an end project in mind for these mini makes, I must be wasting my time and if I don't have something instagram worthy at the end of each session it just proves that I lack talent!

Is social media helping?

At the beginning of the project, I said that I wouldn't be posting a reel on instagram every day - but I have done one every day so far! I read something on the 100 day newsletter the other day that made me reflect:

One thing I’m cautious of is how a 100 Day Project can tip into hustle culture—just another thing to check off your list, another way to be productive

Have I simply added my mixed media circles to my daily 'to do' list and become distracted by the need to 'show up' on social media every day? There are definitely a few things that I would like to do with the circle theme that I discounted because it wouldn't be easy to film them for a reel. But this is a 100 days of mixed media circles....not 100 days of filming reels! The social media format shouldn't be dictating my creative process and I didn't start the 100 days this year with the aim of making every day a social media performance.

So, where does that leave me?

I am enjoying my theme and colour palette. I think that it gives me enough freedom to explore a range of ideas and techniques without being too vague and overwhelming AND I have a lot more ideas which suggests this is sustainable. I am also really enjoying looking at the pieces I have made as it starts to give me some useful insights in to what I do and don't like, which pieces I think work and which I struggle with. Hopefully, if I continue, it will help me clarify my visual style and voice.

But, to continue I think that I need to make some changes and they are more about mindset than anything else....

1. I am going to make less reels so that I can do more exploring of techniques or ideas without a social media lens.

2. On some days, I may set a timer to reduce the time I spend trying to make something 'perfect'.

3. If there are days when I simply draw a circle or make a circular mark, that will be a win - not every day will result in a 'piece' (I said that at the beginning but need reminding!).

4. I will try to quieten my inner voice's insistence in knowing what the final end goal is - wish me luck with that!

I would love to hear any advice or insights that you can offer....particularly if you are prone to putting yourself under pressure to be productive and make things perfect. How do you manage those instincts when they are getting in the way of creative play?

I would also love to hear if there are any of the circles that I have made so far that you particularly like....are there any that made you stop and look more closely?

If you don't already, do go and check out my instagram feed....while I won't be posting a reel every day, there will still be some process posts as I go along!

And, I promise that my next blog post won't be about the 100 day project but thank you for reading my reflections on the journey so far :)

See you again soon,