Today I will be teaching some of my fellow trainees how to make art out of things that some may consider trash (or recyclables). This afternoon we will be melting plastic bags to create a new plastic fabric in addition to weaving paper wrappers and making beads and origami out of magazines. Doing these projects makes me extremely happy but also makes me miss Starting Artists! I’ve been trying to keep up with making things – from teaching my host mom how to turn our teabag wrappers into bracelets to leading two charlas on how to make paper beads (see photos above) but it’s been a while since I’ve had enough time just to hang out and be creative.
That’s why I’m so happy that I recently found out about GOOD’s 30-Day Art Challenge. Paul and I are thinking of doing this challenge once we’re settled into our site so stay tuned!
These prompts remind me of one of my favorite artists, Miranda July, and her project: “Learning to Love You More” that was both a book and a website (now acquired by SF MoMA!). She is the screenwriter and director of the fabulously quirky film, Me and You and Everyone We Know, as well as a writer, a performance artist, and a musician.
Between 2002 and 2009, 8,000 people participated in the Learning to Love You More project, which included exhibitions, screenings and radio broadcasts all over the world. Check out Miranda July’s fantastic prompts on the Learning to Love You More website and see below for GOOD’s 30-Day Art Challenge (really 31 days).
Happy Art-making!
- Visit a museum or gallery
- Take a street art walking tour
- Take a photo
- Research an artist
- Create something handmade and give it to someone
- Sign up for an art class
- Create a floral or stone arrangement
- Make a self-portrait
- Doodle for 10 minutes straight
- Frame something you have been meaning to frame
- Sketch somebody and give them the picture
- Create a font type for your name
- Create a business card
- Check out an art book at the library
- Break something. (You have to destroy in order to create!)
- Make a collage
- Support the local arts scene by going to a local festival, music event, art show, etc.
- Make a card for someone you love
- Make an inspiration board (moodboard) for a future project
- Draw some chalk art on the sidewalk
- Make origami
- Finger paint
- Illustrate a song that inspires you
- Add an art blog’s RSS feed to your reader
- Draw the best part of today
- Send a friend a link to your favorite artist’s work
- Create a place in your home to store your creative supplies
- Close your eyes and draw for five minutes
- Draw yourself as a cartoon
- Take your camera with you on a walk and document the experience
- Create an artist’s workspace in your home