31 Self-Portraits in 31 Days
Last March, I was invited to participate in the Annual Fun-a-Day Project at the Delaware Contemporary Art Museum. Artists made a commitment to create one new piece of art every day for the entire month of March. That's 31 images in as many days. I was reluctant to sign on, as my schedule is always crazy and unpredictable. I really didn't think I could honor that promise. But a friend insisted "it will be so good for you! It's inspiring!" And indeed, once I started the project, I became more enthusiastic daily, to the point of actually looking forward to coming up with a new idea each and every morning. Artists were given full reign to do whatever they wanted, in whatever medium. So, I set up a little makeshift studio in my spare bedroom and placed an antique red velvet chair by the window so I could shoot with natural light. I set up my tri-pod and brought down my huge box of vintage costumes from the attic. I then set out to shoot one self-portrait a day, with as much variety as I could muster. Setting the camera on self-timer, I had ten seconds to jump into the chair and strike a pose, with no idea how the shots would turn out. It was really fun, sometimes frustrating, but always a challenge. And my little kitten Oona decided she would be my occasional Photo Bomb. In the end, it was an exhilarating project and a great exercise in creativity. I would recommend it to anyone with a creative streak and the ability to set aside thirty minutes a day to make art.
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