Getting Started

PLEASE NOTE!!! Refer to the Feb. 21 Blog (THIS IS IT) for complete guidelines.

Most of you who are reading this will be familiar with a very talented artist...Karin Jurick. Her work has been featured in SW Art and numerous publications and blogs. This issue of American Artist features her on the cover. I ran across her artwork and blog while browsing through the "Painting a Day" project. Her blog led me to her other blog "Different Strokes From Different Folks" which she had just started in September. Her dog, Jack, had parted from this world, and she had posted a photo of him and a painting she had done of him in remembrance. Because of her talent, openness and down-to-earth manner, Karin had already developed a sizable group of followers/admirers to her blog. A number of them responded to her loss with their own artwork version of Jack, in a show of sympathy and empathy. This provided the spark from which DSFDF began. Karin posts a photo every other Wednesday. Participating artists submit their interpretive rendering of that photo to Karin and she posts the results. No prizes. No Confetti. Just an ideal opportunity for artists to work around a common theme in a comfortable framework. Projects like the recent "Artist Portrait Exchange" encourage participating artists to "Internet Interact" creating bonds and relations that would have never occurred otherwise. Due to Karin's hard work and genuine desire to help others, the success of DSFDF may prove to be both a "kick-start" and "stepping stone" for participating artists.
I would imagine, due to the success of DSFDF, that there will be copycat programs in the future. The outcome of those projects will depend on the concern, skill and hard work of the originator....more so than the participants.

This Windows to the Words challenge project is not an imitation or copy cat of Karin, but rather a tribute and a "child" of her inspiration. By incorporating photography and writing, I hope to "widen the playing field". The introduction to so many wonderful artists and the fellowship that has developed from participating in DSFDF has meant so much to me. I hope this project can spring forth similar fruit.

I need comments, suggestions, opinions and a peanut butter sandwich. Please drop me a note at JPolderndirt2@yahoo.com or leave a comment below. I need your help........James