happy new year!

detail of a visual journal entry

It’s been so busy on the home front with family visiting that I haven’t had a chance to get on the computer and wish everyone a happy new year! And to thank everyone who helped make 2007 such a great year. I have a good feeling about 2008. I am looking forward to it.

On the first day of they new year I normally review the year’s accomplishments and set my intentions for my new year. Last January at this time I was on bedrest anxiously awaiting the arrival of my son. I wrote last January 1st that I wasn’t sure what my goals were going to be since I had no idea what the new year as a mother was going to turn out.

I wrote: Upcoming goals:

This is hard as I am not sure how life will be once the baby arrives. He will be my first priority. And yet I know that I will infuse creativity in my daily life. And once we adjust I will keep painting and pushing forward. And keep submitting!

I think I’ve met that goal! ha!

It is so hard to even put into words what 2007 means to me. I kind of feel like it was year where everything just kind of fell into place. My son, becoming a mother- it all felt right and good. Continuing to create, really getting into painting, showing my work- that all felt right and good as well. Life was really full this year. It was hard and I was tired. Am tired. But it’s a good tired, where I know that I did my best. And it was all worth it. It was a year of many of changes and a lot of growth.

My last post I wrote about making that mental shift to take pressure off of myself and I have felt so much better since I made that decision. But as I said last January 1st I will infuse creativity in my daily life. And I will keep painting. And creating. And doing. Just without stress.

So, this past year in terms of my art, I made some big strides for myself. Still baby steps, but big strides for me. Big strides considering that back in March, when Noah was 2 months old, I just couldn’t see how I was going to be able to paint for my October show. So not only did I paint for that show, but I participated in even more!

:: Entered into four juried exhibits and had work accepted into all four
:: Had my first solo show in a gallery
:: Hung work in two coffeeshops
:: Participated in an open studio with three other artists
:: Painted about 70 paintings this year (holy smokes!)
:: Sold 38 paintings(I think. I need to update my records)
:: Continued to create journals and maintain amanobooks.com as well as I could
:: Took a workshop and attended demos to further my skills and understanding
:: Met some really great women artists who I hope to keep in touch with this year
:: Had some artwork published in The Artful Blogger magazine
:: I got a studio space outside of the house

In less quantifiable terms:
:: I proved to myself that “where there’s a will, there’s a way”
:: I created some paintings that I am really proud of
:: I feel that I really grew a lot this year creatively
:: I really learned so much about myself and my symbols, really dug deep into the “who” and “why” of me and the “what” of what I am needing to express

Wow, it’s been quite a year! And this is only the “art” aspect of my life. Believe it or not I actually do have a life outside of making art! My art is who I am, but it is not all of me. This year will be about integrating all of it.

Now, to think of this new year…I’ll save that for another time. This post is long enough!

Happy New Year! Thank you to everyone who shared in 2007 with me- your encouragement and support means the world to me. More than I can say. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and creative 2008!