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Wallowa Lake 55x55

Joan

Why this? Why now?



My son, many years ago at age 8, enjoying Wallowa Lake with our new puppy, Milo.


I have spent 30 years as a graphic designer and have truly loved every opportunity it has provided. Although I have periodically contemplated a career as a fine artist, I have not seriously considered it until now – among other timely motivations, my youngest child graduated from high school and has flown the nest. In the past when I entertained the thought, I floundered because I could not commit to a style or direction. Many styles of art that I see, I want to try. I can’t get over the idea (drilled into my head by the illustration industry) that I need to pick one style, perfect it, and be known for it.


To deal with this “problem” I am committing three years to a project I’m calling Wallowa Lake 55x55. I started in the fall of 2019, and by the time I turn 55 years old (August 2022), I will have created 55 pieces of art of varying styles and mediums all relating to Wallowa Lake. Close to the month of my 55th birthday, Josephy Center of Arts & Culture in Joseph, Oregon will hold an art show for this project and these 55 pieces. I am not under any delusion that I will end up with 55 pieces of brilliance. Rather, I aim for this display to simply show the path, struggles, and successes of an artist. And I’m hoping at this point to have found a style or two on which to concentrate.


Choosing the single subject matter of Wallowa Lake and taking on a specific quantity of output accomplishes the following:

1. Allows me the freedom, for 3 years, to work with styles and mediums that I have been interested in pursuing.

2. Pushes me to try styles and mediums I have yet to discover.

3. Provides me a deadline and purpose.

4. Removes the potential time-suck of deciding which subject best fits each style and/or medium.

5. Hopefully has sales potential. Even though Wallowa Lake is sentimental, interesting, and important to me, it is also the reason thousands of people visit Wallowa County.


I hope you join me in my adventure!

Joan


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2 Comments


David Funk
David Funk
May 12, 2021

What a great idea! I have also been struggling with a style of painting

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Joan
Aug 17, 2021
Replying to

Sadly, I JUST figured out how to comment on my on blog. The struggle is more common than I thought ... so I'm hearing. I've been enjoying your painting posts

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