Hello to everyone out there in the DO ART NATION!
We got the first big snowfall of the year out here in Illinois. The first snow of the year is usually a source of excitement and panic for me. On the one hand, I’m usually not ready yet and I’m scrambling to get my winter clothes, snow boots, and snow scraper ready to rock for winter. On the other, there’s something special about waking up in the morning and seeing the world totally transformed, hills and valleys of white stuff shining. Like sand or clay, snow holds forth the possibilities of what it could become–whether a titanic mountain shoveled high, a snow fort, or the ever-popular snowman!
Like most people who have to drive and struggle through it, I’ll be tired of the snow soon enough. But for the first few days I’m going to dare to be thrilled by it all and I hope you will be too!
But December doesn’t just mean snow December means CHRISTMAS! For those of us that celebrate, Christmas time is a great time to bring creativity and craftiness to the world around us. We get to transform the world with light and color, ribbon and whatever else our imaginations can add to the world around us.
So the DO ART CHALLENGE for December is…make some art and give it to someone else! I’m a big fan of making a few special pieces over the month and giving them to special people in my life. I’ll show you what I’ve come up with as the season progresses, but I want to see what YOU make!
Especially at Christmas time, making art can be a powerful way to show someone that you’re thinking of them. It can take us outside our comfort zone as artists, as we try to think of what someone else would like. It can be a fun distraction from the projects that consume our time the rest of the year. For me, it’s an opportunity to set digital art aside for a few days and get my hands dirty with paint, colored pencils, or some other physical medium. And it allows us to use art for one of the things that it’s best at: Connecting with others!
So go out there, make something cool Do Art Nation, and give it someone that you care about. Whether a friend, a family member, a coworker, or even a pet, let’s use art to CONNECT this holiday season! Let us know how it goes, and KEEP CREATING! We will see you soon!
