365 Smiles

My name is Brittany. When I began this project, I was living and going to art school in Chicago and working as a barista at Argo Tea. 365 Smiles was a daily drawing challenge I set for myself—inspired by an organization called Selfless, I made a pact to be selfless through my art in 2013. THE OBJECTIVE: Starting January 1st, 2013, I will make a drawing for someone new every day for the next 365 days. My goal is to collect 365 smiles in return. (:

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64

Made some tea-rific typography on Argo's tip jar for my place of work at Chicago's Merchandise Mart.

(:

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63

for one of my favorite Argo employees at State Street!

(:

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62

This was my thank you and appreciation for Cody giving me a ride back to Chicago with him. Gotta love a short road trip!

Cody is a fellow student of mine and an awesome painter! If you're into nature and birds and trees, you would totally dig his work. He also has a SICK studio where he hangs up artwork that inspires him. I am honored to have been asked to be one of those people!

(:

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61

Whilst approaching the bus stop across the road, I witnessed a car full of girls pull up next to my bus-faring comrade, appearing to be asking him for directions...well he took the time to give them to these lost teenagers. So they threw eggs at him. Luckily for him, these females had terrible aim and projectile so the eggs only managed to break on the ground. Hatas gonna hate. So get over it and smile.

(:

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60

I had attended the University of Minnesota right after high school. Upon living there, I had found an artistic soulmate—a creative person who allows me to be me without passing judgement. I can truly say he is one of my best friends, and he is one of the people I knew I would dearly miss when embarking on my Chicago adventures.

But he randomly texted me the other day, "So you think you could sketch me a Pagliacci in a tear drop?"

Thanks to artists uniting, I did not have to come up with a drawing on my own that day.

(:

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56 I LOVE Paper Source. It is probably one of my favorite places ever ever. Not only is it a spectacular place to get inspired and be crafty, but the people working there are just as inspiring (and crafty, too). Thom is a Paper Source worker I’ve had the pleasure of talking with on more than one occasion while waiting for my bus. On a particular day I had to wait a whole 17 minutes, I was glad to find a table to draw at and Thom to talk to. Our conversation included subjects such as trained elephants who paint and how Thom's dad owns one of those paintings. So. Cool. And thanks to Thom, he is the first Smile I’ve captured with the Smile(r?) in the photo! (:

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51

This was my interpretation of the sunset from an airplane window. The man next to me was wearing Bose headphones while reading a book, and I figured he could use a new bookmark.

(: 

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57

She gave me twenty smiles in return. TWENTY.

V, a security guard at my school is a riot, and truly one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Her first Smile was worth a whole drawing and then some!

(:

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48 for a Dunkin Donuts employee (:

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55

It was the night of the Oscars. A gaggle of friends were merrily eating delicious lobster macaroni and cheese (made by Flow), and then I felt the urge to color...the closest object to me. I would have drawn my lobster mac n cheese but that was long gone...

This is for Flow's roommate, Michelle, aka MEESH!

(:

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54

I will admit two things about this particular piece of work:

1) I did not make this alone

2) and this Smile was not a sober one

With the help of my boyfriend Keith and the obnoxious high-pitched noise that he and his friends make, (they got me doing it too, for the record), we have a visual and written version of the sound.

The 3D effect was made by Keith's stroke of genius and Babybel Cheese wax.

(:

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53

My boyfriend likes to have friends named Cody. So we call this particular one "Yoda".

(:

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52

I was cruising down the roads of North Carolina with a pack of marine buddies, one of which, Cody (or "Allen") was riding his motorcycle in front of us. We got some pretty sweet sunset footage with the GoPro attached to the front of the car.

This was the first drawing anyone has ever drawn of Allen. I feel so honored!

(:

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50

I'm in the process of finishing a painting for a nautical-themed art show in my hometown, so I got a little inspiration when I was out and about. This goes out to the man behind the fish & meat counter at Dominick's.

(:

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49

President’s Day! for the Vietnam veteran I had met on my lunch break.

You wouldn't be able to tell from looking at him, but the wise man told me about how he used to be parachuter...about how he wouldn't wear his uniform to avoid being shot at...about how every day is the happiest of his life even though he is 80 years old.

It was crazy eye-opening, talking with someone who had so much adventure behind him, and we still somehow ended up at the same set of tables and chairs.

I only hope I can be as brave and traveled as him one day.

(:

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47

More logo design! When it is finalized, this robot horse will (hopefully!) be spread across merchandise for a band of musicians. SUPER EXCITING.

(:

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46

I was lucky enough to get to decorate the chalkboard at ANOTHER Argo Tea! This one is celebrating the seasonal drink at the State & Randolph location.

After making a few of these boards, I'm realizing how difficult chalk is to work with. But I'm down to master it!

(: