Project 321 - What is it?

Day 235 - Project 321
6x9, Ink Drawing, Sold

What is Project 321? 

Project 321 was inspired by Amy Krouse Rosental's final project called Project 123.

Do you know Amy? Amy is a children's book author and creator. I have been a fan of Amy Krouse Rosenthal since I discovered her in 2008 with her video of 17 Things I Made and her Beckoning of Lovely project. I was excited to find her on Instagram with a new project called Project 1, 2, 3 and I followed along with her happily. To summarize, her project started on December 3rd. (12-3. 123.) and she was challenging herself to come up with a new list of 3 things everyday for 123 days in a list of 3 points. Sadly, on February 1st, day 61, she announced that she could not longer continue her project because she had cancer and she died on March 13, 2017. I was really sad that I would no longer have the privilege of being inspired by this wonderful human being.

Day 171 - Project 321
6x9, Acrylic Painting, Available on Etsy

I was looking for something new but didn't really know what I wanted to do. I had my own project called Give 52 that ran from August 2015 to August 2016 which is documented here on this site. 52 pieces in 52 weeks, created and given away to people that I loved or strangers who inspired me. I knew I didn't want to pick up Amy's project. I'm not a wordsmith and I didn't want to wait until December. I was inspired by her though and March 21st was coming up soon. 3-21. 321. 

I decided I would do something starting on March 21st and I would do 321 days of it. The main premise was to invite inspiration to come into my life and help me create. The beginning of the project was shaky. It started with some bad photographs and then some bad paintings and drawings. And even though it started off with some bad creations, the point was I was creating something everyday. And slowly, the bad creations turned into some really cool creations both in drawing and in painting. I settled into a 6x9 inch format and around day 66 or so, I started to feel a good groove and that's when I think the pieces took a turn for the better. In making 321 pieces, you're going to have some duds but you're also going to have some pretty cool stuff show up, too. 

Mini-series started showing up in the larger series. There is a mini-series of angels, faces, hearts, butterflies, birds, patterns, words both drawn and painted, and abstracts. I would get on a role of drawing in my markers perched on my "couch studio" and then go back to acrylic painting when I was tired of drawing. The series is diverse and I think that's one of the things I like about it. I didn't have to create the same piece using the same technique everyday or use the same content over and over. The pieces developed organically and with genuine authenticity. 

Many of the pieces are still available. Some of them are posted on Etsy. They're all displayed on my Instagram account and can be found by searching #project321art. I've been pretty good at updating which ones have sold. You can also find them printed products on Redbubble.com. 

Let me explain my pricing. Most artist price their pieces by the square inch. These pieces are 6x9 so 54 square inches. To keep my artwork affordable and available to a wider audience, I charge $1 per square inch. These pieces come with a mat and are bagged. To cover that cost, I have rounded up to $60. So, for $60 you can own an original piece of artwork. If you want a print, you can go to Redbubble and order one for cheaper but I don't have the financial resources, the desire to try and predict which pieces are more desirable, or the space to store a bunch of prints so I don't offer that personally. 

But hey! You can own an original piece of artwork for $60!

This is September

The goal for Create 92 was to finish the  project on August 31st but high school football got in the way and I finished up on September 1st instead. This is life. I'm super happy with the way the project turned out and now just need to decide all the factors around how to display and sell them. The yucky part.

You can see all the pieces I created this summer over on Instagram by searching the hashtag: #create92in2018. The sizes of the pieces are 8x8 inches. The medium is mostly ink and acrylic painting with a sprinkle of watercolor. The price will depend on how I decide to mat and frame the pieces but I'm thinking for a piece just by itself unframed will be $60. Subject to change, of course.

Grapefest is coming up fast. September 13th - 16th, I'll be on Main Street in Grapevine, Texas with my booth set up in the Foust Building. I have some fun origami butterfly strands ready to go, I'm offering some Project 321 pieces framed and unframed and then, I'll have some of my flower swirl pieces as well. I'm looking forward to having a fun weekend. If you're in the area, come say hi. 

Create 92 in 2018 - Faces

Surprisingly, for the Create 92 series I have stayed with creating faces. Do you recognize this lady? Some of the sixty two pieces I've created to date are self portraits like these four. These four are a few of my favorites from the series and these are all ink drawings.

But what do they mean?

While researching for my teaching certificate I came across an article with the headline: If the artwork has no meaning is it just decoration?

Not that decoration is bad. I like decoration. But I want to make meaningful art. A lot of the art I make is made because I want to make something happy and colorful and pretty. The purpose is to make the viewer happy.

I'm not a portrait artist. I'll never paint your portrait that you will be amazed that it looks just like the photograph. I'm just not that talented. But these small eight by eight abstract portraits of me and other faces mean something to me. There's a mosaic brokenness quality in the faces maybe because I'm broken but that is offset by the use of bright colors to signify the hope and gratitude that I have in life. Our broken pieces have a tendency to create something lovely inside of us. My resting face is not attractive. I've been cursed with almost non-existent and down-turned lips. And almost every time I take a picture, one eyebrow decides to have a life of its own and shoots up. Our quirky, wonderful faces.

We all have a face. They're all different but at the same time all the same. Our faces tell others how we're feeling. Happy, angry, sad or just your regular, neutral sometimes resting ugly face that makes others wonder what we're thinking. Wonderful, wonderful faces.

In making these pieces, I like the control I have in making the ink drawings and I like the freedom and looseness I have in making the acrylic paintings. They're both wonderful in their own way.

As of this moment, August 2nd at 9:32am, I have 30 more to make and everyday I'm excited to see who shows up.

Welcome!

I set up a website last year over at another company but I never updated it and I didn't use it as a store so I decided to let it go and come back to blogger. Blogger is free. :)

Did you know I have an Etsy Store? I do. Just click on the word any of the words Etsy and it will show you what I have currently listed. But did you know I have a lot more artwork available than what is listed in the store. I do! A butt ton. Like Dinosaur butt ton. Well, maybe more like buffalo butt ton. But you get the picture. I have a lot of artwork available for you to purchase.

Do you know where you can see almost all my artwork? Instagram.

Currently I'm in a summer series I call Create 92 in 2018. On the first day of the series I drew a face and that set the content for the series. All pieces are 8x8 inches. Most of them have been ink drawings but I've done a few paintings as well. I, of course, retain the right to change subject matter at any time but as a group, they're kind of amazing. You can see all faces posted by searching #create92in2018

My other series I have on Instagram is a series I made March 21, 2017 through February 5, 2018 called Project 321. To see that series you can search #Project321Art. I've tried to update the comments with sold if it has indeed been sold. These pieces are mostly 6x9 inches and come with a 9x12 matboard ready for you to frame.

The other cool thing about the Project 321 pieces is that the majority of these pieces have been uploaded to my portfolio at RedBubble.com along with a bunch of other art stuff. RedBubble is a product sight and artist upload their artwork. When you buy a product, the artist gets paid a small commission.

So, if you're a first time visitor, this is an old blog that I had where I documented a project I called Give 52. It was a weekly project where I made a piece of artwork each week and then I sent it out into the universe mostly to my friends and family to let the know I loved them.

We'll see how well I do with updating this site. I can tell you it probably won't be often but never say never.

Cheryl Houston Art

I have a new website at CherylHoustonArt.com!

I would love for you to come visit and join me on Instagram to see what inspiration is up to in my life with my new quest: Project 321.

Thanks!

A Give 52 Final Reflection

Cheryl Houston Art
Exercise P from Y is for Yellow Class
with teacher, Carla Sonheim.

It's been two weeks since I gave out the last drawing of my Give 52 quest and I've been reflecting on what accomplishing the quest means to me.

I wish I could tell you that I'm overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment and pride and I've scored a huge deal with an art agent and I'm going to be the next Frida Kahlo, Pabla Picasso and Salvador Dali all rolled up into one while illustrating a ton of books and painting a ton of paintings but my reality is the same as it always has been.

While I am proud of the art that I created and of the courage I had to send it out into the world, for whatever reason I feel a certain disconnect. Maybe it's just that feeling you get when something ends but I feel disconnected from friends, family and community for a variety of different life reasons but at my core, when I ask myself, "Who are you?" I feel more like an artist than I ever have felt before- even when I was in art school. Even though, I've always been an artist. Maybe that was the whole purpose of the quest - recognizing my own purpose.

What happens next is a mystery to me but if I can keep nurturing my talent, following my curiosity, and sharing it with others, I believe good things will come.

Thank you so much for following along with my Give 52 Quest and I hope you will join me on my new website Cheryl Houston Art where I'll continue sharing my art stories on a new blog.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 52 - Laugh Like Crazy

Give 52 Week 52
Cheryl Houston 2016

So, I'm an artist but I have a job I go to Monday through Friday. I've worked in this office for ten years. Ten years! Now, I don't want to sound ungrateful because this job has provided so much financially for me but there are days that you can hear me say, "I'm going to stab someone with my scissors!" (Just to be clear, I would never really stab anyone with my scissors. I just like the shock value of the way it sounds. Really. I wouldn't. I might be tempted. But, I wouldn't.) This is where my friend and co-worker, Nita, comes in.

If I ever have the scissors gripped in my hand ready to stab someone, or standing on the ledge threatening to jump, I know I can go down to her office first and spew the annoyance de jour to her and she will talk me down and make me laugh. And, boy do we laugh. Y'all would look at us like we were crazy if you only knew.

There were some snarky sayings I wanted to write on her drawing but they didn't have a positive spin to them and only the two of would understand the hilarity of it so I refrained and settled on what I like to do best with Nita: Laugh Like Crazy!

Her friendship and her insight have been so helpful to me over the last ten years and I don't know that I would have gotten through the last five without her. I might have really stabbed someone with my scissors! (No,no. I told you I would never really do that.)

She has been a gift to me in this office and I completely appreciate her in so many ways that words will never be able to express.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 51 - You Are Enough

Give 52 Week 51
Cheryl Houston 2016

In 2014 - the Year of Purpose - I took Brene Brown's journaling class based on her book The Gifts of Imperfection and I love the journal I created from that class.

One of the first exercises she had us do was take a selfie with the phrase "I'm imperfect & I'm enough" written on our palms. The journey through that class made me realize that I have a lot to be proud of and that I was taking my accomplishments for granted and not valuing them. And I didn't achieve those things through perfection. I achieved them through vulnerability.

Brene's message about vulnerability is important because it helps you realize that through our vulnerability we find courage. And when we find and live with courage, we are able to live wholeheartedly.

Listen, I don't expect to change the whole, big world. I only hope that I have a positive influence on the people I meet throughout my lifetime in my small corner of the world.

That's what this quest has been all about. Living wholeheartedly, expressing gratitude for the people that touch my life. Brene's work has changed the way I look at and approach things. I'm able to recognize the things that send me spinning out of control and the search out the things that I know bring me peace. Her work is amazing and has been a true gift to me.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 50 - This Beautiful Life

Give 52 Week 50
Cheryl Houston 2016

I don't remember the first time someone tagged me in a photo of Alisa Burke's big, beautiful flower wall but I fell in love with her work immediately. There's so much to love.

She is my art hero in many ways. Her story inspires and encourages me. 

Her and her husband were living in California and when they decided to have a baby, they also decided to chose a simpler life. They moved back to Oregon where Alisa grew up. They quit their jobs and they developed Alisa's art business. 

Dreams. Goals.

The other really cool thing I learned about Alisa is her parents are potters. Potters. They make pottery! I'm sorry mom and dad, but why couldn't you be potters? That sounds totally amazing! If my parents were potters, I would totally be a potter too! 

I love that Alisa paints on everything. She paints big flowers on her walls, a refrigerator and she recently painted their wood deck. It's amazingly cool. She takes the simple things in life and makes them into art creating a beautiful life. I could go on and on about all that she creates but I feel the need to stop and say this:

Friends, as many of the people on our televisions and in our Facebook feeds tell us that the world is falling apart and they can't believe the hell we're living in, I encourage you to look at your own life. Really look at it. Be grateful for the things and the family and friends you do have and realize that your life is beautiful. 

This is my gift. I give it to you.

GIve 52 Week 49 - Brave Hearts

Give 52 Week 49
Cheryl Houston 2016

If you are not reading Emily and Tim Loerke's website, stop what you are doing and go take a look-see.

I started following them when a friend sent me a link to their site in 2011 - the Year of Love - and I fell in love with the pictures and the stories of their lives.

What I love most about following along with their story is they are living such a genuine life. Truly authentic and true to them. That's what is most encouraging to me and I'm so grateful they share it online.

I love to see them fishing (momma's backpacking with their babes! So brave!) and gardening and they have chickens and bees and this beautiful home that they repair themselves and it's not that I want any of those things but I love how they live to the beat of their own beautiful drum and I hope that I can be brave enough to live to the beat of my own beautiful drum. That my children will do that too.

Emily introduces me to new music too and I'm in completely enamored with John Lucas' song Love is Kind. Whenever I feel troubled I listen to it, my heart fills with peace and it makes me feel loved. I also think of Emily. I can picture her and Tim hanging out in their gorgeous backyard with their daughter, Brave, and the beautiful tribe of family and friends that they surround themselves with and it makes me smile.

Sharing our lives - in person or online - is a beautiful gift.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 48 - We Grow Love

Give 52 Week 48
Cheryl Houston 2016

Starting at that very young ages of 15 months and 29 months year old, my boys spent most first, third and fifth weekends away from me with their dad. They have memories and experiences that I know absolutely nothing about. Through the years they will have mentioned something and I have to question them about it. When did you do that? With Dad.

Melinda came into my boys lives in 2011 when she started dating Andy, and to me, she has been a blessing.

She cares about my boys and I know because they tell me about her and the experiences they've had together. Having another person love your children is something for a mom to be grateful for everyday.

My most recent favorite story is my picky eater, Drew, announces that he wants me to make lasagna. I gave him my questioning look that said ":I've tried to get you to eat lasagna before and you wouldn't. What's changed?" Melinda made it and I liked it! When I told my sweet husband the news he was happy because he likes lasagna and the joke has become, do I need to call Melinda to get her recipe? According to Drew- Yes! Yes you do!

These moments are small seeds of love planted in the hearts of my boys and where we plant love, we grow love and I appreciate Melinda's presence in my boys lives for today and always.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 47 - The Love of Strangers

Give 52 Week 47
Cheryl Houston 2016

This week I'm mailing out my artwork to Hallee Sorenson. You may have heard of her through the power of the internet. Briefly, she had a birthday party last year where no one showed up. Her cousin put a plea out to the internet for people to mail her a card. And the kindness of strangers hit her full force in the form of 50,000+ cards to wish her a happy 19th birthday.

Her mom and sister have been going through all the mail for her as it has been quite overwhelming for Hallee.

We humans are sometimes kinder as strangers than we are as family members and friends.

I hope that my one more piece of mail isn't adding a burden to her family. I'm sure their love for Hallee is more than enough to make up for the missing party guests.

Love - it truly is all we need. Be the kind of love you want to receive and share your love not only with your family and friends but take time out of your day to share your love with strangers.

A smile is all it takes.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 46 - Love One Another

Give 52 Week 46
Cheryl Houston 2016

Last June 26th, Margaret married Greg.

I knew I wasn't going to give them a gift right away but instead, because Emily Post or which ever etiquette expert said, you can give a wedding gift up to a year after the happy couple weds.

Since Margaret and Greg already had their home established, I thought I would wait for all the excitement to settle down and then give my gift on their anniversary therefore standing out as special because it's all about me! :) Not really. It's not about me at all.

This quest is all about being grateful and spreading love. I'm grateful for the laughs and friendship that I share with Margaret. And for the occasional bag of peach rings she sends up.

I wish nothing but unconditional and unending love for Margaret and Greg. Happy Anniversary you two!

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 45 - One Heart At A Time

Give 52 Week 45
Cheryl Houston Art 2016

I was having dinner with Claudia last year and she had returned from spending time in Florida. She was telling me about an artist, Mari-Etta Stoner. 

Claudia had seen all of these hearts all over the popping up all over town and her curious self asked "What is going on with all of these hearts?" Being the tenacious person Claudia is she tracked down the artist, got in touch with her, met her and even went back to her magical cottage of heart making. 

Mari-Etta makes hearts out of plywood and installs them around her community to hopefully help us connect with each other one heart at a time. Messages of love. Anyone that knows me knows that during my Year of Love in 2011 I was very drawn to hearts. The universal symbol of Love. 

And who doesn't need more of it? 

I was really touched by Claudia's story and had hoped to be able to go out to Florida to deliver this piece in person but life circumstances and time just aren't falling in place for me to be able to make that happen. But that's okay- US Mail to the rescue. 

Mari-Etta's hearts became so popular that people began requesting them. And she's still making them and sharing them today. Amazing. 

Friends, I know there's a lot of turmoil going on in our world but I believe that there's a lot more love and generosity going on if you choose to see it. If you don't see it, maybe you need to give it. Share your love - one person at a time. One heart at a time.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 44 - Me and You on a Patio.

Give 52 - Week 44
Cheryl Houston 2016

Today is Darci's birthday! Happy Birthday!

Darci and I were roommates at Texas Tech in Lubbock. We didn't hit it off when we first met at Freshman Orientation because she thought I was a dork. Probably not far from the truth but it takes some time to get to know me.

We had some very wild times together and because there was alcohol involved - lots of alcohol -the facts tend to be fuzzy but eventually we hit it off.

After our freshman year in a dorm, we moved into an apartment. One of my favorite stories of us is this: We were writing out checks to pay bills, complaining about how much money we didn't have. As we were writing the dates on the checks we realized, "Holy shit! It's Cinco de Mayo!"

That year, 1989, Corona had a fun ad campaign out. The papers had all advertised these fun cartoon drawings of people enjoying Corona beer on Cinco de Mayo. I think we had some cut out and put up in the apartment. (I can't find not one of the ads on the internet! Boo Hiss!?!) We couldn't let the day go by without driving our tushes out to the strip and buying a case of Corona! (Lubbock was/still is I think dry/ and you have to drive out of city/county limits to buy alcohol.)

Broke girls be damned! It's Cinco de Mayo!

We put on our bathing suits and hopped out on the porch and enjoyed our cervezas! And that my friends, is our holiday! Our Anniversary!

Next year, Darci! You and me. Cinco de Mayo. It's a Friday. On a patio. Drinking a beer and laughing about all the good times we've shared!

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 43 - Internet Friendship

Give 52 Week 43
Cheryl Houston 2016

Do you have any friends that you met on the internet but that you've never met in person? I do.

Her name is Denise.

I found Denise in the days that I was searching out and reading blogs. She was writing a blog and I became this crazy stalker always commenting on her posts. Then she found Facebook and she stopped blogging. Boo!

Denise is a lover of motorcycles. She's the only girl that I know that rides and it's so cool to watch her embrace something that is so male dominated. She totally makes it her own. I love it.

Gosh, I'm sorry this isn't a drawing of a motorcycle, Denise. Maybe next time.

When I was getting my Etsy shop up and going she was my first purchaser and I was so appreciative of the support. Denise always has a funny comment for me when I least expect it and it just adds to the beauty of my day.

I hope to always have this small internet friendship with a woman that I've never met but appreciate so much. It's the small things.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52, Week 42 - You're at Home

I've already written about my dear friends, Kristi and Johnanna, in December and today I want to tell you about their parents.

When I think about my childhood memories, a good deal of them land in the Linney household or on vacation with them.

They opened their home to the friends of their children and I treated their home as my own. I always just walked on in, not bothering with a knock yelling out my hellos. They lived in a big Victorian home right next to the train tracks and when I hear the train today, it reminds me of my childhood and the gentle shake that would happen as the train passed at night.

There were endless sleepovers and holidays and sitting around the butcher block table snacking and warming our back side by the gas heater until we were scorched.

I remember making myself butter and honey on bread and drinking out of the water jug like I was one of theirs. It was around that butcher block table that this picky eater first ate guacamole!

Mrs. Linney had one of those big station wagons with the seat in the back and I remember traveling to Port Aransas to the beach with them- laughing all the way. The Linney's gave me a place in their home and I wanted to really honor how special they are to me. I was at home in their house and I always felt loved.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 41 - Blessed

Give 52 Week 14
Cheryl Houston 2016

Blessed. In so many ways, by so many people. People who are in my daily life and by people who used to be in my daily life.

As I may have told you before, I grew up in a small town where you go to kindergarten with the same people you graduate high school with and not only are you friends with your classmates, you're friends with all of their siblings, too.

Week 12 of Give 52 went to my dear friend, DeDe Reese. This week I honor her mother, Susan. Who at a time was like a second mother to me.

Susan Cox is the perfect image of grace, sweetness and discipline in a woman. I can remember times of great laughter with her and I can remember times of the sideways eye glance that meant you were teetering on the edge of being of trouble that if you were lucky enough would end in a smile.

I miss the days when we gathered in her home and chatted about the boy de jour and current events around town but I will always cherish the wisdom she imprinted on my life. And, though I'm more on the Hulk/Medusa side of mothering my boys, I'm working on the sideways glance.

Much love to you lovely, lady! You have truly blessed me.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 40 - Speak Your Heart. I'm Speaking Mine

Give 52 Week 40
Cheryl Houston 2016

Most weeks I know who I'm going to send the next week's artwork out to but sometimes I don't. In those not knowing times, I try to listen to what's going on around me.

Week 40 was one of those weeks.

Leading up to week 40, I kept hearing an echo of former First Lady, Laura Bush.

She was in the headlines regarding the current election cycle.

A link came up of an interview that she did with her daughter, Barbara Bush and it was really sweet and interesting. It starts out with memory of Barbara's that Mrs. Bush didn't learn to type because she wasn't going to be somebodies secretary. A woman with a plan.

Then I saw that she and her other daughter, Jenna had co-written a children's book together called, Our Great Big Backyard.

And this kept going on- Ellen sent some cutie pie to the White House and the video popped up somewhere; and her book Spoken from the Heart showed up in my Amazon feed; and the last thing that happened was I sitting on the couch starting this weeks drawing with no idea who it was going to and my son, Drew, put a show on the soul-sucker (you may call it the television in your house). It was ESPNs 30 for 30 Shorts: First Pitch. A show about how we, as Americans, went on after 9/11 and the importance of our rituals. In this case: baseball.

And, there she was again.

Our graceful, beautiful, soft-spoken and steadfast former First Lady, Laura Bush. And when the universe keeps sending me an echo, I listen because I want the universe to work in my favor. What I admire about Mrs. Bush is that she is cool, calm and collected- a quiet voice but a stern, intelligent, loyal character radiates from her as well. She is a champion for women's causes and I hope that in my everyday life I can lead by her example.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 39 - I Won't Forget

 Give 52 Week 39
Cheryl Houston 2016

None of us will. Forget.

No voy a olvidar is Spanish for I won't forget. (And if the translation is incorrect and you know it, just let me keep believing it is correct. Muchos gracias!)

What is it that we won't forget? The love and sacrifice that our mothers have made for us.

Week 39 was sent out to my mom in honor of Mother's Day. And I won't forget the many things that I love about her and the many things she has done for me over the years.

I won't forget when I was small we would curl up on the couch together because I wanted to be close to her.

I won't forget the bond she has forged with her sisters and the many family vacations we have had together. They brought my childhood so much fun.

I won't forget how independent and giving she is, rarely asking for help or for anything in return.

I won't forget the picture I have of her in my mind, dancing in our living room, smiling while eating what I think was a cup of ice cream (or some other kind of desert).

And so much more!

No voy a olvidar. I won't forget.

This is my gift. I give it to you.