One Hundred Days of People
In 2015, I challenged myself to paint 100 Portraits in 100 days…
Nothing inspires me more than the people in my life, from the ones I’ve known for years and only see occasionally, to the ones I interact with everyday. I decided to commit one hundred days to developing the skill of portrait art. To drawing my people. One hundred days of people. I made a list of names and randomly selected one everyday.
1/100 | Sarah Casteel | Constant encourager. Seeker of beauty. Full of laughter and wit. A light to all those around her. My (not so random) first pick because she decided to join me in the 100 day project, and I don't want you to miss one day of her photos: @w00t
2/100 | Caroline Patterson | Gentle spirit. Dreamer. Always up for adventure. Appreciator of life and love and grace.
3/100 | Doug Heen | Compassionate. Encouraging. Loud. Crazy good joker impressions.
4/100 | Rebecca McGee | So joyful. Amazing hair stylist. Strong in character. Inspiring woman.
5/100 | Jules Huff | Passionate. Selfless. Always smiling. Incredibly talented violinist.
6/100 | Braden Wyatt | Brother. Chill. Caring. Positive vibes. Forever cooler than me. Today was tough because I don't feel like I've captured his smile and personality. But that's part of this project, right? Pushing through the discouragement and posting anyway. So here you go!
7/100 | Caroline Yeager | Brightest laughter. Encourager. Contagious joy. Appreciator of life. Story time: One day I was at some function in college where we weren't supposed to talk, but we could work quietly on hw. I leaned over to the girl next to me and whispered: "hey. can I draw you?" She was so creeped out and laughed hard enough that we became friends and roomed together 2 years. So Caroline, today I paint you.
8/100 | Aaron Gresham | Ridiculously talented. Dedicated. Brilliant. Walking encyclopedia. Design mentor.
9/100 | Katie Hayes | Inspiring writer. Loyal friend. Dry humor. Dance moves alllll day.
10/100 | Michael Flayhart | Mind of rare depth. Considerate. Bold creativity. Ambitious. Musician. Complete goof.
11/100 | Rachel Ray | Full of joy and wisdom. Sweet spirit. Loves deeply. Always clever. A light to all those around her.
12/100 | Caitlin Plath | Selfless love. Strong in character. Spirit of grace and joy. Dear sister in Christ. Always genuine. Always real. This girl has pointed me to what is true during some of my weakest moments - a great friend right there.
13/100 | Joseph Wolnski | Passionate musician. Humble. Considerate. Creative. Able to be himself; unswayed by the pressure of others.
![14/100 | Alex Wolfe |
Radiates peace and beauty. Warm-hearted. Wise. Brave. London-dweller. Creative. [ Delightful ]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d9ce566c746930c10202b1/af8c0ed8-dd07-432a-925d-ae4d5134d4e7/20150419-alex_wolfe.jpg)
14/100 | Alex Wolfe | Radiates peace and beauty. Warm-hearted. Wise. Brave. London-dweller. Creative. [ Delightful ]
15/100 | Taylor Wyatt | Sister-in-law. Ambitious. Intelligent. Entrepreneur. Classy style. Loving wife and mother.
16/100 | Jonathan Haefs | Pastor. Faithful leader and friend to his people. Wise. Man of depth. Servant of God. Clever. Witty.
17/100 | Taylor Evans | Great designer. Big laugh. Adventurer. Stylish. Such a bad ass.
18/100 | Rachel Freeny | Hilarious. Joyful. Big heart. Selfless character. Encourager. Writer. Creative. The perfect kind of quirky and inspiring.
19/100 | Regina Bontreger | Peace-filled. Wise. Warm-hearted. Great listener. Faithful friend.
20/100 | Caitlin Goebel | Crazy talented stylist. Stunning dancer. Strong faith. Kind. Dedicated. Dreamer. Wanderer.
21/100 | Billy Ivey | Writer. Witty. Intelligent. Thoughtful. Family man.
22/100 | Kathryn Lee | A light to those around her. Compassionate. Funny. Brave. Bold. Loves Jesus deeply. Encouraging friend.
23/100 | Ann Stark | My sweet Grandma Ann. Joyful. Caring. Stylish. Always active and lively. Talented knitter. Inspiring pianist. I let this one get a little too wet and the color bled making too much of her face "in shadow". Maybe if I find the time I'll re-do it. But not tonight. Tonight I post as is.
24/100 | Ford Wiles | Incredible designer. Leader. Mentor. Motivator. Brilliant ideas. Dedicated. Truly exhausts the search for excellence.
25/100 | Hanna Greenwood | Compassionate. Sweet spirit. Selfless. Caring. Warmhearted. Strong character. Loyal friend. Wise beyond her years.
26/100 | Michael Southerland | Drummer. Incredible musician. Creative. Passionate. Caring. Driven. Curious. Can entertain a room at any moment.
27/100 | Shae Wall | The sweetest. Always encouraging. Deeply treasures Christ. Leader. Bright smile. Joyful.
28/100 | Ryan Brown | Brilliant designer. Dedicated. Creative. Runner. Speaks fluent puns.
29/100 | Shannon Harris | Always positive. The perfect kind of fun and crazy. Sweet. Encouraging. Bold. Such a light to those around her. Incredible designer. Queen of all that is cool.
30/100 | Mary Elizabeth Butts | Bright smile. Strong character. Hard worker. Inspiring. Hair and make-up genius. Up and coming doctor.
31/100 | Spencer Wyatt | Brother. Patient. Brilliant. Successful. Lover of fine things in life. Well read. Caring husband and father.
32/100 | Chelsey Bennett | Truly radiant. Encouraging. Passionate. Selfless love for others. Beautiful voice. Incredible heart for the Lord. Fellow tall friend. P.L.A.R.T. O.J. all day (inside reference)
33/100 | Scott Fisk | Design professor. Creative. Encourager. Talented. Believes in his students. Lover of letterpress.
34/100 | Janie Walters | Fun loving. Bright. Warm hearted. Friend to all. Young spirited. Organized. Keepin' everyone on task at the office.
35/100 | Abigail Wolnski | Free spirit. Old soul. Radiates joy. Creative. Thoughtful. Stylish. Passionate. She's going places, people.
36/100 | Caroline Collins | Talented designer. Hard worker. Always smiling. Caring. Creative. Sweet spirit.
37/100 | Jonathan Wade | Creative. Goofy. Unicycle riding. Caring. Loyal. Always entertaining those around him. Shout out to this guy for influencing me to study graphic design. Mannn am I grateful for that decision!
38/100 | Nancy Carroll | Spiritual mentor. Strong. Loving. Joyful. Faithful leader. Giver of peace. Proclaimer of grace. Encourager of the arts. Always able to facilitate realness and vulnerability while instilling truth.
39/100 | Anne Carlton Head | Joyful. Loving to all those around her. Genuine. Patient. Sweet smile. Strong character.
40/100 | John Mark Dorough | Worship leader. Talented musician. Passionate. Creative. Faithful.
41-42/100 | Ashley Dorough (with Moses Dorough) | Lovely singer and worship leader. Joyful. Stylish. Patient. Inspiring. Warm-hearted. Loves deeply. A friend to all.
43/100 | Emily Guin | Incredibly thoughtful. Brave. Dedicated. Youthful. Adventurer. Dreamer. Loves unconditionally. Amazing designer. Always appreciates the details. Dear sister in Christ.
44/100 | Kammie Kasten | Social media genius. Smart. Sassy. Loud. Full of life.
45/100 | Rebecca Lee | Joyful. Genuine. Driven. Confident. Selfless. Great listener. Full of wisdom and perspective. Truly confident in who she is. Deeply loves the people in her life. Will go to any length for a friend or family member in need.
46/100 | Grace Wolnski | Constantly serving others. Bold. Selfless. Humble. Strong leader. Nurturer. Mother of eight. Creates environments of love and grace. Lives openly and authentically.
47/100 | Rylee Roquemore | Kind. Confident. Accomplished. Relational. Bright smile. Sweet personality. Friendly to all.
48/100 | Brad Brown | Youth leader. Drummer. Great communicator. Considerate. Humble. Always making people laugh.
49/100 | David Meadows | Brilliant mind. Witty. Goofy. Caring. Artistic. Full of great ideas. One of a kind. Loyal friend.
50/100 | Varina Hart | Wild. Adventurous. Outgoing. Joyful. Patient. Loves deeply. Good listener. Loyal friend.
51/100 | Taylor Kingston | Sweet spirit. Contagious smile. Caring. Peace-filled. Kind. Gentle. Firm in her faith. Strong character.
52/100 | Gary Wyatt | Father. The most patient, loving man I know. Selfless. Determined. Wise. Warm-hearted. Positive. Faithful. Respected. Encouraging. Constantly going out of his way to make others feel welcomed and appreciated. Truly believes the best in people. A man of hope and grace. He is my example of what it means to love deeply and unconditionally.
53/100 | Hope Wolnski | Joyful. Kind. Compassionate. Genuine. Stylish. Wise beyond her years. Giver of THE greatest hugs.
54/100 | Hillary Brown | Sweet. Caring. Fun. Artistic. Ambitious. Considerate. Thoughtful. Free-spirited. Contagious smile. Loves deeply.
55/100 | Don Rankin | Art professor. Amazing watercolor painter. Dedicated to his students. This man taught me a lot, but one thing I will never forget. He constantly told me to "draw what you see, not what you think you see." And understanding that has changed the way I approach art, for which I am grateful.
56/100 | Amy Lee | Joyful. Sweet spirit. Determined. Disciplined. Funny. Uninhibited. Nurturing. Accomplished. Inspiring.
57/100 | Caleb Stallings | Wise. Confident. Sentimental. Reader. Witty. The comedic relief to all those around.
58/100 | Katrina Schultz | My brother Taylor's sweet girlfriend. Latvian. Happy. Loving. Disciplined. Creative. Thoughtful. Inquisitive. Lives life with her head held high and an eagerness to learn and grow.
59/100 | Matt Lane Harris | Incredible designer. Mentor. Dedicated. Humble. Respectable. Passionate. Caring. Impeccable taste in all things southern and genuine. Always stylin, always cool.
60/100 | Parke Stalcup | Selfless. Sweet, soft heart. Passionate. Loves deeply. Faithful. Watchful. Patient. Brave. Servant hearted. Humble. Prayer warrior. Amazing mother to five sweet boys.
61/100 | John Montgomery | Brilliant leader. Great communicator. Inspiring. Positive. Dedicated. Passionate. Bold. Fearless. President of Big Communications.
62/100 | Rachel Hall | Kind-spirited. Lovely. Compassionate. Peace-filled. Graceful. Patient. Elegant designer. Faithful woman of God. Sweet friend and roommate.
63/100 | Julianne Sparkman | Inspiring. Encourager. Loves deeply. Strong character. Uninhibited. Creative. Ambitious. Faithful. Lives life with good humor and a free-spirit.
64/100 | Niki Lim | Kind. Dedicated. Hard worker. Bold. Uninhibited. Good communicator. Can talk to anyone.
65/100 | Emma Joganic | Bright smile. Loves well. Compassionate. Sweet spirit. Strong character. Faithful. Inspiring. Peace-filled. Genuine. Laughs deeply. Always has great style.
66/100 | Logan Shoaf | Kind-spirit. Fun-loving. Joyful. Enthusiastic. Confident. Encouraging.
67/100 | Emily Wolnski | Bright. Joyful. Dramatic. Lip-stick wearin'. Amazing singer. Sweet-spirit.
68/100 | Onna Cunningham | Joyful. Fun. Kind. Inspiring. Brilliant cook. Deep thinker. Hard-worker. Sweet mother. Appreciates life. A friend to all.
69/100 | Greyson Wyatt | Always making people smile. Charming. Curious. Ambitious. Stylish. Appreciates the little things. Such a ladies man. Confident in who he is and what he wants. Living life to the fullest...and loudest.
70/100 | Larry Thompson | Art professor. Dedicated to his students. Creative. Encouraging. Passionate. Incredibly talented painter. World traveler. Texan.
71/100 | Hanna Morehead | Smart. Dedicated. Caring. Ambitious. Passionate. Loyal. Kind.
72/100 | Daniel Flowers | Brilliant mind. Thoughtful. Considerate. Good listener. Film enthusiast. Dry humor. Great cook.
73/100 | Andrew Thomson | Creative. Kind. Thoughtful. Inspiring. Designer. Craftsman. Multi-talented. Great storyteller. Always making people laugh.
74/100 | Amanda Paul | Kind. Passionate. Sweet-spirit. Caring. Hard-worker. Great style.
75/100 | Nancey Legg | Passionate. Kind. Peace-filled. Gracious. Strong. Nurturing. Deeply encouraging. Great listener. Always genuine. Truly radiates the love of Christ. Friend to all.
76/100 | Tim Foote | Encourager. Leader. Authentic. Silly. Adventurer. Positive. Strong in character. Genuinely cares for those he's around. Always a solid guy and good friend...even in awkward crazy situations.
77/100 | Sandra Bowman | Lovely soul. Kind. Gracious. Peace-filled. Strong. Patient. Joyful. Loves the Lord deeply.
78/100 | Richard Dendy | Design professor. Passionate. Artistic. Dedicated. Disciplined. Respected. Selfless. Encouraging. Cares enough to never take the easy way out. Truly invests and believes in his students - for which I am forever grateful.
79/100 | ???? |
79/100 | Jeremy Burgess | Talented writer. Excellent proof-reader. Witty. Enthusiastic. Uninhibited. Knowledgable about all things music and pop culture.
80/100 | Alle Singleton | Sweet-spirit. Encouraging. Gentle. Grace-filled. Brave. A light to all those around her.
81/100 | Carolyn Wyatt | My Maw Maw. Joyful. Always singing. Active. Positive. Strong. Faithful. Pet-lover. Tennis-player.
82/100 | Evan Samples | Joyful. Encouraging. Enthusiastic. Adventurous. Outgoing. Faithful.
83/100 | Mark Ervin | Brilliant writer. Dedicated. Humble. Wise. Respected leader. Patient. Encouraging. Inspiring.
84/100 | AJ Wolnski | Passionate. Faithful. Protective. Servant-hearted. Goofy. Strong. Bold. Respected.
85/100 | Jake Carnley | Encouraging. Creative. Passionate. Cares deeply. Laughs genuinely. Candle maker. Photographer. Marketing genius. Lives life well.
86/100 | Sarah Wolnski | Thoughtful. Loving. Always able to be herself. Kind. Smart. Cool. Down-to-earth. So so wise.
87/100 | Alex Joganic | Crazy talented hand-letterer. Dedicated. Passionate. Kind. Creative.
88/100 | Jordan Sowards | Excellent writer. Thoughtful. Witty. Confident. Stylish.
89/100 | Ryan Jackson | Bartender. Guitarist. Bold. Witty. Insightful. Smart. Passionate. Deep thinker. Humble. Good taste in music.
90/100 | Ali Clark | Motion designer. Photographer. Creative. Talented. Kind. Caring. Sweet spirit. Great style.
91/100 | Taylor Wyatt | Brother. Joyful. Always laughing and making people smile. The biggest fan of all things bama, chicago, cheeseburgers, tall, sports, weather, game shows, pb&j, and all his other little obsessions. Loves deeply and affectionately. Passionate. Loud. Dedicated. Silly. He's been through a lot and come a long way and I couldn't be more proud of him.
92/100 | Faye Claire Thrasher | Fun-loving. Bright spirit. Yoga instructor. Inspiring. Encouraging. Energetic. Joyful.
93/100 | Carson Legg | Dedicated. Creative. Faithful. Deep character. Keen. Humorous. Compassionate. Adventurous.
94/100 | Shaydah Rabiee | Sweet. Kind. Fun-loving. Energetic. Encouraging. Caring. Queen of birthday celebrations.
95/100 | Andy Gottshall | Kind. Brilliant. Thoughtful. Hard working. Faithful. Reader.
96/100 | Josh Reebals | Kind. Solid character. Funny. Strong. Brave.
97/100 | Brian Curtin | Motion designer. Video genius. Talented. Humble. Creative.
98/100 | Mary Grace Wolnski | Crazy talented artist. Dancer. Solid character. Loves so deeply. Insightful. Gracious. Compassionate. Such a bad ass at everything she does.
99/100 | Jeff Stalcup | Adventurer. Explorer. Faithful. Strong. Wise. Prayer warrior.
100/100 | Carolyn Wyatt | My sweet mom. Friend. Loving. Patient. Great listener. Inspiring. Encouraging. Faithful. Wise. Dreamer. Welcoming to all. She's taught me what it means to be free and to dream big.
The Process
Who to paint next?
When I started the project I put over a hundred names in this jar and draw one everyday. The randomness has been one of the best decisions - it's fun and eliminates the whole picking and choosing aspect.
After I draw a name, I go find a photo from Facebook, take it into photoshop to make it B&W, and then draw a pencil sketch. Sometimes I trace, and I have to admit I've traced more than I would've liked to, but sometimes it's a nice liberty I'll take to save some time.
...then erase the pencil
Then I start filling in the base.
I haven't been consistent about whether I start with the lightest shadows that create the form of the face, or start with the darkest elements that makes up the eyes and mouth. Either was it's all about layering.
I let the water from the hair or shoulders drop down for a unique touch.
Afterwards I take a quick pic with my photo, bring it into photoshop to brush out the edges, then post it to the insta with a description. Then start all over the next night.
Thoughts along the way…
Day 8 –
Wrapping up week one, and what a week it's been. I feel like I'm learning and growing on an excelerated level - learning about art process, endurance, dependance, relationships, vision, and more.
Overall, I've enjoyed the nightly time painting, but there've been a few times late at night where this project has cause me anxiety. Thoughts of keeping this up for another ninety-something days terrifies me. It's a large commitment and people remind me all too often how ambitious it is. When I think about making time everyday to paint, of staying up later after a long day of work when I would rather sleep, of posting portraits that I'm not satisfied with artistically, etc. I get anxious.
But when I stop and think about the people, everything comes into focus. When I think about the next person, I think about who they are and what they mean to me - and I know I have to paint them. I want to show them that they are valued and appreciated.
If this was any other project, I know I wouldn't make it through. I'm too much of a big-picture thinker that I need something more than just the art itself to keep me motivated. I have a huge amount of respect for those doing the 100 day project that are staying motivated by appreciation of the simple. But I don't have nearly enough confidence in my art to give it value on its own. There needs to me something more where that the art becomes the means, not the end. So the people in my life, they make everything worth it.
“My hope is that my hand and brush strokes would be just enough to portray the essence and spirit of a person. And when that happens - when someone looks at some water and pigment on a piece of paper and sees someone's joy, or someone's humanity - I cannot deny the presence and empowerment of God. And that alone keeps me painting.”
Day 23 –
We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit.
–Aristotle
There's something memorizing about repetition. Doing something over and over, with different faces, different music, different moods. Yet still the same thing; day after day.
We are creatures of habit and of schedules. To get cosmic - we were born on a rotating earth, circling around ourselves; circling the sun. Progressing through time via the vast phenomena of repetition. And this life bound by cycles is part of what it means to be human. Is it crazy to think that we grow most by repeatedly doing something?
These thoughts have been on my mind a lot lately. Painting a dripping head (or as one friend commented: “giving all my friends dread-locks”) has become part of my daily routine. I’m getting more comfortable with it and wonder if it’ll soon become mundane. If I’ll get bored of the consistency. And I think that’s common. Sometimes we resist the constant, look for freedom outside of the routine. But most of the time I find more freedom and within the cycle. Safety in commitment. Growth in discipline. Reward in repetition. And it’s neat to have a visual representation of that form of slow growth - it's kind of mesmerizing at this point.
Day 85 –
So I took a risk and did a more challenging, low-light shot tonight. To be honest, it was a struggle and I'm not pleased with how it turned out. When this happens I'm always tempted to start over, but my time is too limited and that isn't really what this project is about anyway. I want to be real and I want to show how this is a process - there are ups and downs and a whole lot of vulnerability involved. I know I'm like 80-something in, but I still get nervous every time I post. These paintings and words are a part of me, and sharing isn't always easy - but I do believe it's good. So here's to authenticity and the (all-too-familiar) unsettling feeling of posting regardless.
Day 100 –
Wow, day 100! It's definitely been one of the more challenging things I've ever done, but the reward has been so worth it. I’ve grown more as an artist and person than I can sum up into this caption.
My hope is that this project has been encouraging to you. That each portrait has been a small expression that people are known and valued. That it’s always worth it to make time in our busy lives to give our attention to the people around us.
I could not have made it through without the Lord - who inspires me more than anything.
And of course you guys. YOU ALL have been with me in this - supporting me everyday, and I end with an abundance of gratitude for all the conversations and comments that've kept me going.
The Show
To conclude this project, I thought it'd be neat to see all hundred portraits hung up in one place while I still had them together. So I threw a pop up art show and invited friends, family and coworkers. It was a great evening, and I couldn't be more grateful for everyone who came out or supported me in any way in this project! And a huge thanks to Maddie Davis for photographing the night.
