Give 52, Week 30 - Chase Joy

Give 52 Week 30
Cheryl Houston 2016

Oh how I love how this piece turned out. The flowers are wild and funky and the splatter is fun. This week's Give 52 was sent to Robin Whitney in Park City, Utah.

When I worked at Jess Reid Real Estate, we hired Whitney Advertising to re-brand the company. Jim and Robin were so great to work with.

I remember sitting around the conference table and Robin having a very pensive, contemplative look on her face and Jess asking her, "What's wrong."

I can't remember her exact words but I think she said, "That's my thinking face."

Since I left Park City in 2006, I friended Robin on Facebook and I love seeing her photos of her, her friends and her family. She radiates joy. Whenever I see her photos,  I think: "She isn't just choosing joy, she's chasing joy!"

I want to be like that. I want to chase joy. No amount of doldrums or boredom can stop me and making this piece for Robin will help remind me to do just that: Chase Joy!
This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 14 - Child of My Heart. Sweetface.

Sweetface
Give 52 Week 14
Cheryl Houston 2015

The Give 52 Project has me realizing that I have a thing for authors.

I love diving into a book and really feel like I'm learning something new. Or finishing a book that has inspired me to change my way of thinking and/or taking steps for improvement.

This quest of Give 52, for example, is inspired by Chris Guillebeau's, The Happiness of Pursuit.

Austin Kleon is another one of those authors. His books Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work  have shaped this project of mine. For example, Chapter 6: The Secret: Do Good Work and Share it with People. Uh, hello? Give 52 is all about me attempting to do good work and sharing with people.

I read Austin's books in 2014 during my Year of Purpose. I was struggling with feeling like my job and my art had no purpose. His books have helped shape my routines of being creative and have opened my mind to new possibilities. Austin's books give artists the permission and validation we need along with some really helpful advice in creating your work. I don't know why artists struggle so much with needing permission and validation but I find it to be so true.

My husband thanks you for the advice- keep your day job.

I follow Austin on Instagram and he has two sweetfaced boys which I totally love. They make me miss that time with my own boys. This piece is similar to the work Austin does with blackout poems and the little boy kind of reminds me of his boys.

This piece is a little different than other pieces I've created here and was started in an online class I took with Lynn Whipple called Word Play. We created art in books. I was skeptical about drawing in books at first but now no book- new or old- is safe from my paints.

Austin has a new book out called Steal Like an Artist Journal and it's a lot of fun. If you're looking for inspiration for creativity check out all of his books. You won't regret it. Thank you, Austin!

This is my gift. I give it to you.