100 Bad Paintings

I’ve created a project to help me get through the next 6 months of cancer treatment and it’s called…

100 BAD PAINTINGS!

Why would I want to make one hundred bad paintings I hear you ask?

Well it’s not that they are actually bad.
In fact I think they are quite beautiful so far!

The point is that if I call them Bad Paintings then they don’t have to be Good Paintings.

It’s a way for me to let go of any pressure and just immerse myself in the flow of doing what I love.

It’s a way for me to heal and release emotions.

It’s a way for me to grow.

 I’m choosing to let go of hangups about the quality and simply follow, discover and uncover my joy.

I choose to make one hundred paintings because it’s good for me to have a goal, something to stretch into. One hundred is that lovely nice round number and I’ve never ever finished a 100 project before.

I’m not doing the paintings in one hundred days!! No way!! 

It will take as long as it takes.

I think it’s going to be beautiful and special and of course you are welcome to join me! 

I will post pics here on my blog and on social media. You can follow me on Instagram and Facebook

I’ll be using the hashtags #Erins100BadPaintings #100BadPaintings. 

Without further ado here are my first two paintings:

“Wild Meadow”
100 Bad Paintings 1/100
Mixed Media + Collage

I really loved making this piece. I had no preconceived image in my mind and simply let it unfold.

Using the many paintings and studies that I’ve created over the past year by cutting them up and repurposing them as collage material is becoming a big part of my process.

I’m also smitten with layering greens on top of greens and then adding pops of colour.

The original artwork has been sold but prints are available to purchase. Find out more.

“A River Of Thoughts”
100 Bad Paintings 2/100
Mixed Media + Collage

This is very much a journal type piece. It’s a map and a personal exploration of the thought patterns in my life that may have contributed to my dis-ease. 

I have always adored maps and love the idea of creating maps based on our human experiences.

There are many layers to this piece. I began by free writing on the page which was then covered up along the way.

Creating these artworks is a deeply intentional practise for me. I want to turn up to each piece with a willingness to explore, prepared to relinquish my expectations.

I am here to notice the parts of the process that lead me to feel lost in the moment.
Where do I lean in naturally? Where do I become constricted?

Making notes and documenting my processes are a vital part of piecing together my story. So, I will use this blog to hold the many parts of the 100 Bad Paintings project together.

Right now I can’t image who I will be in six months time when Chemo and Radiation are over. Will my 100 Bad Paintings be finished?

There is so much that will unfold and I’m thrilled to tell this story through paint, colour and words.

Erin xx