A Year in Reflection 2016: Gratitude
I know I’m not perfect but somehow the rest of the world thinks you need to be. This is where the whole New Years resolutions can be a slippery slope. Some might turn to focusing on the failures of the year and overlook all the little successes. I think it’s important to question the norm and consider whether the direction you want to go is being true to yourself. It might sound cliche but I feel that the little things do count. I’m trying hard to celebrate those successes and to be grateful for what I already have in my life. When I took the time to look back at my year, there were many things to be grateful for and even more than I realized. I wanted to share my top nine “mini wins” for 2016 from left to right:
TOP ROW:
1) Hot Talks at Hot Art Wet City allowed me to meet amazing Eastside Culture Crawl artists and share my art process to the largest crowd yet!
2) Many things in my life have happened because of artist Rachael Ashe. She is a wise woman of many talents, has a great way of building authentic connections, and is one the best supporters of the local art community you will ever find
3) My first demo with Opus Art Supplies reassured me that sharing little details of my work process can be interesting to people
MIDDLE ROW:
4) Visiting New York after over 10 years had me ticking off my art bucket list including seeing work by Robert Motherwell. Plus I got to spend some overdue quality time with my cousin.
5) Fueled with the energy and inspiration from my New York trip, I made these large works on paper and it renewed my love for paper
6) Completing my first art collaboration with weaver Lucy Poskitt was a really fun experience, especially to be able to combine different disciplines.
BOTTOM ROW:
7) Participating in Shiny Fuzzy Muddy event, which was founded by Arleigh Wood, Winterluxe, Kari Woo and Frances Felt, led me to meet so many kind, appreciative and creative artists.
8) Getting a chance to meet one of my favourite artists Janna Watson was a thrill –although it was very brief it was very worthwhile and inspiring
9) Last but not least is my husband Steve who is not only my partner in life but has become my right hand man in my art life too. I would not have been able to accomplish as much I did if it weren’t for his support.
Farewell 2016 and hello to the new adventures of 2017!