BAG President Linda Zwick has given us a challenge. Create a piece of art of any kind (no limitations on size or structure), send to friends and family if you like, and send a photo to santafebag@gmail.com (for posting on the website and social media, and inclusion in a likely future slideshow at a BAG membership meeting). The themes are just suggestions; create whatever suits your fancy!
January
January 30 is Inspire Your Heart with Art Day.
February
February 8 is Hari-Kuyo in the Kanto region of Japan. It is the Buddhist and Shinto Festival of Broken Needles (celebrated in December in the Kyoto and Kansai regions) and is a memorial to sewing needles broken in their service during the past year. It is also an opportunity to pray for improved skills. Suggestion: Create something in honor of your favorite tool or tools or about your intentions to learn new skills of any kind.
March
March 18 is National Quilting Day. Suggestions: Create a quilted design, a quilted fabric block, a book containing quilted designs, or anything that incorporates the essence of a quilted item.
April
April 17 is International Haiku Poetry Day. Suggestion: Create one or more haiga, a style of Japanese painting that incorporates haiku, usually about nature or the natural world, with the painting more suggestive of the subject of the haiku rather than a direct image of that subject. Check out Matsuo Basho, a great master of haiku and haiga, if you are interested.
May
The second Saturday of May (in 2022, May 14) is World Collage Day, initiated by Kolaj Magazine in 2018. Celebrate collage this month!
June
June 8 is Frank Lloyd Wright’s birth anniversary. You likely know about his houses and his graphic designs for home furnishings and windows. But did you know that in 1927 Wright created 12 graphic designs based on seasonal themes that were projected to be the covers each month on Liberty Magazine the following year? Sadly, the magazine never used the designs he created, but you can find examples by searching the internet for Wright’s September Desert, December Gifts, The Flag, Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers, and May Basket. Suggestion: Using colored pencil as Wright did (or whatever tool you prefer), create an abstract design of a favorite object.
July
Alexander Calder’s birth anniversary is July 22. He is famous for both mobiles and what he termed stabiles. Suggestion: Create an engineered 3D artful object that interests you.
August
The second Wednesday of August (in 2022, August 10) is World Calligraphy Day. Calligraphy is art in written form. Suggestions: Practice calligraphy styles you know and love, create your own calligraphic alphabet, or play with an illuminated or doodled letter.
September
In Great Britain, Epilepsy Action designates an annual National Doodle Day to garner financial support for its efforts to improve the lives of those with epilepsy. In 2022, September 3 is designated as National Doodle Day. Suggestion: Create one or more doodles this month.
October
October 24 is the feast day of Saint Anthony Mary Claret. He is the patron saint of, among others, weavers. While many think of weaving as a yarn-based art, paper can be woven, too.
November
Georgia O’Keeffe’s birth anniversary is November 15. Many of us are familiar with her oeuvre. Suggestion: Create a piece of art in honor of O’Keeffe.
December
Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth anniversary is December 16. Suggestion: Create a piece of art with a component related to music.