I’m sitting on the couch writing this post, watching the “Christopher Robin” movie, with the cat on my lap. Seems kinda appropriate: I mean, who better to make you feel it’s ok to be introspective and optimistic than Pooh and a cat, right?
Time to wrap up 2018 and get ready for the new year. I have been stalling on writing this list but need to get it over with so I can move on to 2019.
Looking back, I’m not terribly pleased with 2018. My perception of the year has been that I didn’t accomplish much. Spent a lot of time doing little stuff, being busy, but not making forward progress.
I wasn’t working on a big theme in my art, which is satisfying for me and keeps me motivated. Instead, the year felt like one where ideas were brewing, fermenting, forming. They weren’t showing themselves yet. Oh, they will come up eventually, but waiting is frustrating. I poked and prodded at them, but that didn’t help. They will come up in their own time and I have to be patient.
Sigh.
Fortunately, I track my activities, even the little ones, so seeing them all in one place helps put the year in perspective. As usually happens, what I “think” I did and what I “actually” did can be VERY different.
I’m a big believer in tracking. Are you?
So here’s the list for 2018. I post it to be accountable to myself and you, to know what I’ve done, and shape my goals for the coming year.
- 1 large artwork, “The Sentinels“. This is BUGS me. I normally do so much more that ONE feels very inadequate. Sigh. Log it and move on.
- 14 medium-sized artworks, mostly the Elementals
- 7 small artworks
- 10 mini artworks
- 101 small abstract collages for The 100 Days Project plus 1
- 168 handpainted scarves (here’s where I spent a LOT of my time)
- 5 Hudson clocktowers to add to that series
- 8 shows
- 1 piece included in the 52 Weeks 52 Works calendar for 2018
- 1 grant
- Taught 16 classes
- Filled almost 9 sketchbooks; see pics and videos below
- Wrote 76 blog posts for three sites: this one, Uncommon Art, and Hudson Art Hop). Again, that’s low. I usually do that many posts for my site alone.
- 389 Instagram posts between my account and Uncommon Art
- 4 media interviews: 3 magazine articles and 1 tv show
Personally,
- Took 5 trips (3 girls weekends, 1 family vacation, and 1 art trips)
- Read 18 books
- Took 1 online workshop: Reconstructed Journals with Juliana Coles
Another thing that influenced this year was Uncommon ART. The gallery is taking off, and we sold a lot of other people’s art. That’s good – I am happy about it – but running a gallery takes a lot of time, time which I would normally spend on making my own work. Tradeoffs, balance, right?
So that’s 2018. I’m working on my 2019 plans and word of the year.
