“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” - Rainer Maria Rilke
I love thinking back on the previous year and writing a list of what I want to do for the new year. There’s something about doing it that blows my mind. I will go back through the list from the year before and find that I actually checked some of them off. Ok, so I know this is kind of a maximal list, but it’s just how I am. Always dreaming big. Thank you for indulging me with this post! I hope it encourages you to make a list too. I swear they work :)
2018 Review
Backpacked the Trinity Alps
Camped
Really learned to handle my stress better
Ran a watercolor workshop at an Obi Kaufmann book signing event
Painted things that initiated commissions (wildflowers, etc.). It’s a nice domino effect, to share some art and have people want me to make more.
Painted my first large-scale mural for the Pow! Wow! San Jose Festival
Painted commissions for the holidays with ZERO advertising! Not once did I have to announce or market portraits. You people came to me. I kind of despise marketing so I got lucky this year.
Received portrait orders in late 2018 that I will be starting in 2019. Already busy! That feels good
2019
Non-art
Read everyday. Read more. Read first thing in the morning. Less TV/screens.
Meditate everyday
Jiu jitsu training/competition
- Work on my rusty Spanish (and maybe even French)
- Restring my guitar (with the strings I bought 6 months ago!) and start playing again
See Zion and Bryce National Parks (we just got a National Parks Pass)
Plan a trip abroad
Continue with eating non-processed foods and no refined sugar
Art
For my birthday in February, I am going to do my own kind of art residency. We are renting a cabin for a week and I’ll be making everyday I’m there.
Spend more time with art friends with art outings
Original art for art show later in the year
Make bigger, better art
Redesign website (AGAIN?!)
I’ll try to post more art on social media. I have a love/hate relationship with it, so I kind of avoid it much of the time.
Start my 2020 calendar in January! Duh, I realized that I should do one or two images a month and have it done early, since this last two years I have not been able to make one.
End my holiday portrait orders earlier. I kid you not, I end up delivering my last portraits on the 23rd or 24th and it’s just too stressful.
Design a book cover
Take a few art classes
Paint another mural
Paint more from life
Paint more from imagination
Go with the flow! I really don’t want to plan out too much of this life.