Soul Face Challenge- Week 1

When Annie and I discussed doing a daily challenge together our aim was to keep each other company and inspired and to create art daily. There are leaps and bounds made in so many areas when we commit to showing up to the blank page or canvas daily and with both of us being busy mum's, well sometimes we need the nudge and structure of such a challenge. We never imagined so many others would join us on our creative journey. Yet we made it an open invitation and the response of other artists has been overwhelming- seems there are hundreds of us each creating daily, each engaging with the prompts. One of the delights, apart from the comradery and encouragement and inspiration is to see all the various interpretations coming out of the prompts- so many clever ideas and creative spins and just beautiful paintings are emerging. It's just such a privilege to be part of such a creative and supportive community. If you are on Instagram take a look at what is appearing under our hashtags (#30faces30daysprompts #soulfulfaces).

If you are one of those artist's joining us and you blog about it be sure to come and add a link in the comments here so we can find you & if you would like to find out more about joining us then visit this post here Xx  

Below are the pieces Annie and I created in week 1 (I'll be back again in a week to share week 2's art).

Galia's Drips & Splashes

Annie's Drips & Splashes

{ Drips & Splashes- Day 1 }- I had fun with this one. I wanted to stay loose, and free, and expressive, I didn’t want to get to tight or precious on day one so I stayed non-attached and just played, mostly with a bigger brush and a few colours that were already on my palette, dripping with extra water as I went and finally drips and splashes to tie it altogether.

Galia's Dream

Annie's Dream

{ Dream- Day 2 }- I had thought I would paint something more dreamy and surreal for this prompt (think Chagall) but some days all we can do is show up to the blank page and watch what want’s to come through. A light and free page, I painted in my journal (an altered book). The whole time I worked on the face I heard repeated in my head (as is often the case) the words “Last night while you were sleeping”. When the page had dried I free associated wrote on the background:
“Last night while you were sleeping I traveled far and wide across snow and clouds on the wings of those who take me to the worlds beyond the veils.
Last night while you were sleeping I visited the many pasts that could have been and those pasts that never will be.
Last night while you were sleeping the spirits whispered many truths and told me tales of the many futures that lie in the field of possibilities awaiting only the magician.”

Galia's Text

Annie's Text

 “Love is brief: forgetting lasts so long.” Neruda

{ Text- Day 3} Another face between the covers in my journal. I had an idea to try which didn’t work so this face is created from salvage as so many creative acts are- problem solving, working with what you have to create something new.
Neruda kept me company.

Wings Journal page (Galia)

Galia's Wings

Annie's Wings

{Wings- Day 4} The winged ones often inspire me and I had so much work to do today that I procrastinated by doing two face today. One a meandering dive onto a journal page where the prompt from day 2, dream, was still lingering on my mind. A few hours on a journal page, just playing, moving colour and ideas around, is such blissful therapy & I had MaMuse to keep me company- “Oh what a day- glorious”


Galia's High Key

Annie's High Key

{ White/High Key- Day 5 } I love high key images, and paintings of soft and varied whites yet often when I show up to create one colour seeps in, as do the darks, I don’t seem to be able to help myself. So this one was a great opportunity to try to push through that- every time some colour snuck in, I just kept adding white over the top. Little hints of colour peek through, after all, that’s what white is- a balance of all the other colours in perfect harmony.

Galia's Twins

Annie's Twins

{Twins- Day 6} “The loving presence in me loves and trusts the loving presence that believes in the loving presence in you.”  Tami Simon to Tara Brach The greatest gift we can give each other is to be a mirror, to share with each other what we see, our own and each other’s divinity.
Bonus points-technically this makes it 31 Faces in 30 Days (32 if you count that day 4 inspired me to do two paintings).

Galia's Animal Spirit

Annie's Animal Spirit

{Animal Spirit- Day 7 } There’s always this gentle creature, a dear deer, soft, quiet and feminine, almost childlike, definitely innocent. She’s always there, a gentle reminder, soft medicine, so painting her was easy. She shape shifts through my dreams. Hello sweet deer, always a pleasure to have your soft balm.

If you would like to join us the prompts are below and we have a crazy creative group here. #30faces30daysprompts #soulfulfaces