Revolve Project: Week 20

Halfway There: A Winter Update on My Year of Outdoor Art

Jan 05, 2025

Project Revolve: 20 Weeks of Plein Air Adventures

Happy New Year, lovely readers! As we step into 2025, I'm excited to share my journey with Project Revolve as we approach its midway point. This artistic endeavour began last August when Worcester Arts Collective extended an invitation that would transform my weekly routine: creating one plein air sketch every week for an entire year.

For those just joining me, Project Revolve's guidelines were beautifully simple:

Create weekly 2D pieces, keeping them intimate (around A6/6x4in/15x10cm)
Freedom to explore any medium, surface, or theme
Let creativity flow without constraints
Run from August 2024 through July 2025

The project will culminate in something I'm still pinching myself about: an exhibition at the Worcester Arts Collective gallery this autumn, where my 52 pieces will be displayed alongside other artists' work.

Week 20

Week 20: Racing Against the Setting Sun

This week's sketch emerged from one of those moments that perfectly captures the challenges and rewards of this project. With children on school break and winter's characteristic moodiness, finding time for outdoor sketching has often tested my resolve. I'll admit, there have been times when I've questioned my commitment to plein air work!

But here's the thing about pushing through resistance: it always pays off. With just an hour of daylight remaining and the week's deadline looming (again!), I headed out. The resulting sketch, quick and spontaneous, captured the fleeting light in ways that surprised even me. (A special thank you to my mother for the cashmere fingerless gloves that are fast becoming essential to my winter sketching kit!)

Looking Back: A 20-Week Evolution

Watching these twenty pieces unfold in sequence reveals subtle shifts in confidence and technique. Each sketch represents a different experiment with materials and approaches, and I'm particularly proud of the last three pieces. They seem to embody the growing assurance that comes from consistent practice.

As we approach the second half of this journey, I'm grateful for this project's gentle but persistent push to create, regardless of circumstances. It's teaching me that sometimes the most rewarding moments come when we least expect them – even on a cold winter's afternoon with the sun racing toward the horizon.

What started as a simple weekly commitment has evolved into an exploration of persistence, growth, and the joy of creating in the open air.

Moving Forward

Looking ahead to the remaining 32 weeks, I'm curious to see how my approach will evolve as the seasons change again. Will spring bring new energy to these sketches? How will longer days and warmer weather influence my artistic choices?

The beauty of Project Revolve lies not just in the individual pieces, but in the story they tell together – a year-long narrative of showing up, rain or shine, to capture moments in time. Each sketch holds memories: the sound of leaves rustling, the chill of winter air, or the warmth of unexpected sunshine.

You can follow my weekly progress here or on Instagram @emmacavillsketces. Thank you for being part of this journey – here's to the next 32 weeks of discovery!

What's your experience with long-term creative projects? Have you ever committed to a daily or weekly practice? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments below.

Emma Cavill Sketches

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