I like to make a practice of reviewing my progress at the end of the year/beginning of the next. It helps me put my work in perspective, and gives me motivation to set goals for the coming year. Thus, this brief reflection!
Clouds at Sunset
This year was as hard as last, in its own way. I started the year still recovering from my pulmonary embolism. Then my husband decided to go back to school, and lost his job. We are still living off of savings, while he works hard at school… but something has to change, and probably sooner rather than later.
That said, I did more art-related work this year than I have since college. I was really surprised as I looked back at it all, because as the year was going on, I didn’t feel like I was accomplishing all that much. Surprise!
Lots of things affected my ability to work. However, having all three kids in school for part of the day (Kindergartener!) helped me have regular time in the morning for working.
2015 Accomplishments
ART: This is where I think I made the most progress this year.
19 finished coloring pages
8 in-progress coloring pages
10 finished paintings
3 in-progress paintings
22 finished digital works (including my 12 digital post cards)
Loads of digital sketches
In addition, I did the following:
- Four of my original works found homes this year, which pleases me! I also shipped art for the first time ever, and it worked out pretty smoothly! (It was expensive, tho.)
- I created my Patreon page! And I posted to it at least twice a month since June! Patreon has not been a screaming success for me, but it wasn’t a bust either; the income from pledges has allowed me to replenish my art supplies as I run out.
- I participated in Art Access Gallery’s “300 Plates” show, and sold both paintings I submitted!
- The Utah Arts Festival Gallery accepted my exhibit proposal; I will be part of an exhibit in May. My proposal suggested 20 paintings, large and small, which will stretch me…! But I have 11 complete, with 3 in progress, and I’m on track to complete them soon.
- I also had a favorable response from the Idaho Falls Arts Council! They’re interested in having me do a show for their 2016-17 season. I will know more once they finish their calendar for the season this month.
- I managed to attend Salt Lake Gallery Stroll exactly once. But it was not for lack of trying. It just turned out that every single gallery stroll night, either Steve wasn’t available to watch kids, or we had something else going on. But I did try.
- I updated my website! I still need to make it a better marketplace for my art, but it looks ever so much nicer than it did.
WRITING: I managed to add 20,000 words to Songseeker novel this year! It stands now at 57,356
CRAFTS: I finished two pairs of slippers, a hat, a shawl, an afghan, two pairs of gauntlets, 2 bags for toys. I started embroidering a case for my embroidery scissors.
BLOGGING: I was sadly lax on my blog, not even posting anything some months. (Bad artist! BAD!) I did, however, post LOTS of WIP photos to my Twitter feed.
GARDENING: I didn’t blog about my garden this year. Our weather was very strange; cold for a long time, then suddenly HOT HOT HOT in June, then cold again in July. My tomato plants were scrawny and didn’t blossom until very late — except for the pear tomatoes! They went gangbusters, and were still going when it finally froze in the fall! We had some good banana peppers. We got maybe five red onions and a couple small cucumbers. The sugar snap peas really liked the cooler weather, and were productive far longer than they should have been. Both squash came down with dusty mildew and shriveled up without flowering. The rhubarb was FINALLY ready to harvest this year! But it wasn’t ready until the hot spell in June, and by that point it wasn’t good to eat. Next year I anticipate it growing in strong!
All told, this was a good year. Now to make goals for next year!