Becoming my Own Accountability Partner

Lately, I’ve been reminding my students that making art is about showing up — even when the sketch feels awkward, the paint bleeds the wrong way, or your inner critic gets loud. And yet, when it comes to my own practice, I often find myself… scrolling instead of sketching.

So here’s my experiment: I’m inviting you to be my accountability partner.

For my first post in this series, I decided to work on a self-portrait. There’s something both terrifying and grounding about turning the brush on yourself. Every brushstroke in watercolour feels final — it bleeds, it settles, it teaches patience. I followed up with ink outlines, giving shape and definition where the water wanted to wander.

It’s not about perfection — it’s about process. You’ll see the messiness, the hesitations, and the surprises in the speed-up video below.

What I’m hoping for is simple: that by sharing these moments, I’ll keep myself committed to making more art outside the classroom. And maybe, along the way, you’ll feel inspired to create alongside me — or at least nudge me when I disappear for too long.

✨ Subscribe if you’d like to follow these updates and become part of this little accountability circle. I’ll be sharing more sketches, experiments, and reflections here — equal parts progress and play.

Here’s to showing up, even when it’s messy.