I don't do New Year's resolutions but I do look back on the previous year and reflect on what went well and and identify a few things to improve on going forward. I actually do this throughout the year as well but the start of a new year seems like a good time to write a little blog post about it. We'll see, maybe not.

Some Things That Went Well:

I created more art in 2022 than I have in any other year. Now, not all of that art is worth showing to anyone...ever, but I learn something from every piece that I create and that knowledge can be carried forward to the next piece.

For most of the year, I had art hanging in local businesses. This obviously creates some exposure for me as an artist but it also gets art out of my space. I have so much stuff stacked here and there and piled everywhere, that it is just nice to get it out of the house.

I attended a few local festivals and even made a couple of sales. But, the most important thing that I learned from these festivals is that I don't need to attend these festivals.  There weren't Art Fairs but local Fall Festival type things and that just isn't a place for selling original "fine" art. 

I won a few ribbons! Nothing major but anytime a "judge" (someone that you don't know personally) awards your work any type of recognition, its a good thing. It feels good as an artist (human) and provides a little kick-in-the-britches to keep moving forward.

Things to Work On:

Although I created a lot of work in 2022, I need to get more focused on what I create in 2023. I need to spend a little more time on the "why" behind the piece and make sure that each piece has a compelling story. This may mean getting out of my studio space a little more often and experiencing some new things.

I am going to include photographic art into my creative process more in 2023. I've set photography aside over the past couple of years to focus on painting but I think I am at a place where I can bring it back out of the closet. I don't think it is good to leave a creative outlet locked away. Sometimes people get too worried about labels and get worried about what to call themselves if they paint and do photography or maybe write....and so they think they just need to do one thing. I'll just call my self and artist, if I have to call myself anything and get on with creating.

Better planning! I've already started this as I've put together a calendar of shows that I'm going to enter in my local and surrounding communities.  These aren't big shows by any stretch but they are targets to ensure I have work ready and have dates to aim for. I need to look for some bigger shows and shows a little further away as well any online shows that I may want to enter. 

Working in my sketchbooks more. I started this a few months back and if nothing else, it is fairly therapeutic. Small, quick sketches either with pencil or paint help me gather thoughts and ideas for new, bigger works. And it's really just fun. I love the feel of the sketch book and working on paper...I just need to keep this up.

Interact more. I need to make sure that I am interacting with other artists and people in the art community - both online and in person. This will build relationships and provide the opportunity to support others and get support when needed. I am an introvert but I can't let that stop me from building relationships.

So there ya go. Some things that went well and some things to work on. This is by no means an exhaustive list but I think it does hit some key points and by putting it in writing, it creates a little bit of accountability.

Happy New Year!