Stepping into a New Year - ATC's as a medium for personal growth

I am starting the New Year with a new attitude and an acceptance of myself as I am right now, not as how I envision others seeing me, or how I think they should see me. I'm trying new art techniques and revisiting previously failed art techniques and mediums.

This may sound like a lot to bite off at one time, but they are interlinked. I think I express my 'true me' a lot through my art, though it may not be the most exciting 'me' on the planet. I plan to allow myself show more of my vision/emotion by working on ATC's. I want to use these little palettes to express a given theme (like in swaps), thought or inner feeling, regardless of the idea attached to the theme, thought or feeling. I know at the very least this project will be an adventure of learning and growing.

I think of ATC’s as little versatile pieces of art. I've seen some really wicked ATC's that are just PILED on with layers of paper, paint and stuff and I love them, I want to make them, but I can't seem to accomplish that ‘look’.  My work tends to have a more simplified, reserved demeanor compared with ATC’s in general. When I try to work multiple layers and multiple mediums, it feels uncomfortable for me, but what is worse is I feel my work is ‘wrong’ because it doesn’t look like the ATC’s I’ve seen. Ridiculous, I know! My art should be what I envision, but still there is that persistent voice that says ‘I’m doing it wrong’ because it’s different from what others are doing.

SO, this is the year I say ‘WTF!’ and ‘who cares!’ I will create to please my vision and stop worrying about whether what I make compares, or doesn’t, to other artists working in the same medium. I will put the "mine doesn't look like everyone else's” attitude behind me (or maybe, put it in front of me, PROUDLY!) This is my Step 1 in learning to let me be me.


These ATC's were for the 'Fun in the Snow' swap on Willowing and Friends. I was exploring  the whole ATC thing, working with watercolors, watercolor crayons, stamping and gesso as a base coat.