100 Days Of Oil Pastel
In April 2016 I attended a talk by a famous author on the subject of creativity. Inspired by the words “to be an artist you have to show up every day” I challenged myself to create an oil pastel artwork every day for 100 days.
I chose oil pastels initially for their portability – easy to carry, robust and simple enough that friends and family could also have a go and create something unique of their own.
Finding limitless inspiration in the landscapes around me, I took a box of oil pastels everywhere and began capturing the local scenery during family trips to the park, the beach and the bush. On rainy days and home days a bunch of flowers from the garden often became the subject.
As the project unfolded, it became apparent that the crude nature of the medium and the one-a-day time pressure demanded a focus on simple line and colour. I found that this suited my style and subject matter perfectly. Working quickly from life, responding immediately to a scene, with decisive, gestural marks these moments of beauty in the trees, flowers and seascapes of the Northern Beaches were captured.