Strategy-Strada Easel Challenge
Sent: 9/2/2023 5:38:12 AM

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Working Hard AND Working Smart!

Day 1 Srtada Easel Challenge Home Canned 20x20 (in progress)

Day 1 Strada Easel Challenge: Home Canned 20"x20" (in progress)

Hi!

You've likely heard the expression, 'Work smart, not hard.'

I can sum that up in one word; Baloney!!

While it's true that if you work smarter, the work may feel less hard, but ultimately, anything worth doing demands hard work of some kind, even if you do enjoy the journey.

So in order to successfully complete the Strada Easel Challenge, and not drop out halfway through, I decided to make it less hard by mapping out a very detailed strategy.

I thought you might enjoy seeing what I have planned.

Strada Easel Challenge-Roadmap

The struggle with completing a challenge like this is not about running out of ideas. I cannot even imagine a world where ideas are not plentiful.

It's the opposite! I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head, that it's hard to decide which ones I can reasonably handle in the next 30 days.

And of course, the plan is flexible. In fact, I made changes from the get-go.

Day 1 was supposed to be my favorite blue striped espresso cup, like the one below. I had already set up the still life with the tomatoes and jars and pre-titled it "Canning Season." But I had to push it to the front when I discovered one of the tomatoes had gone soft.

They'll do that on ya.

On the emotional side of things, I work best when working with a theme or series. In this case, the theme is Gratitude and will consist of simple things I am thankful for.

Practice for Strada Easel Challenge

Let's take a look at this little practice painting I did the day before the challenge started. It may LOOK like just a simple coffee cup. And yes, I am thankful for my morning coffee. But it means so much more than that.

It represents companionship with people I love, and quiet times with my Creator.

The same holds true with other things I love and remember, and for which I am thankful...

On the practical side, by planning ahead and recognizing which days work better for which kinds of art activity, I am more likely to follow through.

For example, on three of the four Sundays, I will be sketching only. That's because Sundays are reserved for the most important part of my life and are typically very busy. So it's easier and quicker to do a 20 minute sketch than to dig into the paints.

I am also working mostly in threes; three different versions of the same coffee cup, three phases to complete a larger painting, etc.

I will be posting each September day on my Instagram page. @jandalefineart.

Your likes and comments would be most welcome!

Plus, if you see one that you love, you can stake your claim on it even even before it's dry.

(I haven't forgotten about the little landscapes titled after favorite hymns. I will keep on painting those, and will still show you any that I finish each week).

Since the STRADA Easel challenge is to paint directly from life, I will not be adding birds in any of my still life paintings...until after the challenge, that is.

The sweet lil' things just won't sit still.

Jan

P.S. I found a surprise in my email this morning. "Spitshine" has been accepted into the International Guild Of Realism Fall Online show! Whooo-hoooo!!!