A Bird a Day: How 365 Paintings Changed Everything
When I started the Bird a Day challenge on January 1st, 2023, I had no idea what I was getting into. The goal was simple: paint one bird from the Waterloo Region every day for the entire year. By December 31st, I had painted over 320 species, and my life had changed in ways I never expected.
The Beginning
It started as a creative exercise. I’d been feeling stuck in my art practice, and the daily constraint felt like it might shake something loose. And it did almost immediately. When you commit to painting every single day, you stop waiting for inspiration. You just paint.
Finding Community
The most unexpected gift of the project was the community that grew around it. People started following along on Instagram and Mastodon, sharing their own bird sightings, telling me about species I hadn’t painted yet. Birders and non-birders alike connected over these small daily paintings.
What I Learned
Three hundred and twenty paintings later, here’s what I know:
- Every bird has personality. Even the common ones. Especially the common ones.
- Constraint is freedom. Having to paint every day freed me from perfectionism.
- Nature is always paying attention. You just have to slow down enough to notice.
What’s Next
The Bird a Day project may have ended, but the practice continues. I’m still painting birds, always finding new species and new inspiration. And now, I’m working on bringing all 320+ paintings to this website, so you can browse and enjoy them anytime.
Thank you for being part of this journey. 🐦