Cake!
Drawing portraits… piece of cake.
She talks about how the self portrait has been, um, portraits over the centuries, and how it’s one of our favourite subject matter. Then she gave us an assignment. NOW, I probably would never draw a self portrait if not for an assignment … I’m not sure why, but maybe I will moving forward.
Maybe I’ll make it a Birthday Tradition!
Yes it’s my birthday, 44! (Or like I’d like to think of it, 24!)
Recently Donald Miller, author of Blue like Jazz turned 60, and he shared a reflection, and his only regret was thinking that 40 was ‘old’, because at 60 he felt like there was so much he wanted to and could do in his work and family life.
And that basically what ever he would have wanted to do at 20, he could do at 40.
We rule ourselves out of things for all sorts of reasons.
I’m not smart enough, not good looking enough, not young enough, old enough, not enough time or money, as if, this standard of ‘enough’ was even possible to achieve.
Maybe we say things like that out of fear, or laziness, or habit.
I’m 44, and all the things I wish I could do 20 years ago, I can do now, in many cases I’m doing now, so in that sense, I’m 24, I’m not talking about biological age obviously though some people talk in those terms, but that’s below my pay grade (yes I said below)
I’m talking about higher order stuff, like how we feel and think about ourselves.
In many senses I know you don’t think and feel your age, maybe you don’t need to act it either. Maybe you can act however you see fit, and maybe that’s 20 years younger.
I saw a documentary of seniors (60-80+) playing a kind of football where they were only allowed to walk. I love that, live, and keep living while you’re alive!
Try it for 10 minutes:
TEN MINUTE ARTIST PROMPT
20 Years Younger
Journal Prompt
Make a list, or journal, what are 10 things you loved to do 20 years ago that you have stopped doing now?
What’s something things you wished you did 20 years ago but haven’t even tried?
What are some of the things on the list that you could do today if you really wanted to?
Which one are you going to do first?
Drawing Prompt
Draw cake.
If you do please share it on notes and tag
Happy Birthday, Adam!!! I was just talking about this with some friends. When we’re younger, 40 feels sooo ooold, and now that I’m in my 40s I don’t feel “old” most of the time. If we’ve started our picture book careers in our 40s, by the time we’re in our 60s, that’s a 20 year career already and how impressive is that? As long as that “little kid version of us” still thinks we’re cool, we’re doing great. :) Have a great birthday!
Happy Birthday, Adam! I'm 45 and barely getting started in the kidlit industry, so I understand completely! Remember what Picasso said, "It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."