Change - How does it show up at your table? Artist Life goal setting.

Jingle Bells - 8 X 10" Colored Pencil Painting - SOLD

As the New Year approaches and we reflect over the past, which let’s face it the past few years have been something we all want to change.  Change back to life as it was, pre-pandemic, or a new normal with positivity and health.  

Recently I read that "Sometimes Change wants a place at the table.”  And it resonated with me so much today when I sat with my “cuppa" in hand to do my normal prep for New Year thoughts, goals and aspirations.  No resolutions here but real deep thought into my looking forward personally and art wise. I’m a list maker and planner, I can’t help it.  So I’m asking myself how will Change show up in 2022 at my table.  

Change can come in many forms, large or small, scary or just in bits of stretching beyond our norm.  Sometimes we hold off acting to change things up if they seem “frivolous" or “good" for us. But I’m here to tell you that frivolous IS good for us.  It’s the part of life that requires a little commitment to change it up.  I see it as part of an exploratory heartbeat.  

After all many serious minded people consider being an artist a frivolous profession.  I can’t even think of a world without ART or art making! But that’s a topic for another day.

Change:

In your art form, when feeling uninspired, or in a funk.  A new media or technique you haven’t tried yet.  Pushing limits with what you do now or are afraid to try.  I find that if I say I’ll "Play with” a new art technique or media, my inner critic has less expectations of mastery.  Play enables exploration and we often as full time artists forget to incorporate it purposefully.  Scheduling a “Play” session a couple times a month is a big Goal for me in 2022. Mixing some additional media with my dear CP’s on a more frequent basis pushing some limits I’ve held to in my personal practice. 

In your life when your bored with the day to day. A change in your daily schedule adding a new idea or reincorporating a dismissed habit (morning walk, daily sketching restart or gratitude journal up take).  Picking up a book when you are bored with TV or haven’t had a good read in a while.  I’ve read more books this year than I have in the past 10 years because of my year end 2020 goal setting.  And it has been so enriching to my life.  Below are a few 2021 journal entries.  

In your style of travel, I think we have all looked at wanting to get back out there after being confined to home or closer to it.  Making travel a priority again - safely is part of my 2022 change planning.  More to come on this front in 2022.  

In your diet or weekly menu - experimenting with a new recipe or thumbing thru old collections of recipes not yet tried or made in a while.  Nothing stimulates the desire to cook for me than successfully tweaking a recipe to my own taste - or famiy's preferences.  We get into meal ruts and for me it always leads to a cheat in my eating plan if I don’t think “of changing it up".   

In your exercise routine - this is a hard one for me as I’m not fond of exercise for the sake of doing it.  I’m much better with exercise with a purpose, when there is a visual result immediately afterward. Like Cleaning out the garage, daily walking the dog (my studio assistant loves this one!), gardening and the color that inspires me to really look and enjoy my hard work, or journaling when a page is finished or I've captured a quick impression and essence of place.   

In your connections - more interpersonal  quality relationships.  I’ve been absent quite a lot from Facebook and Instagram this past year.  Due to feeling disenchanted with the forums.  Wondering what is better for reaching out to be of service or inspiration to others.  To connect in a more meaningful way.  (If you have suggestions please let me know.) What I do know is that I’m more of an introvert than most public social media platforms promote.  YouTube included, which has been an intriguing possibility but seems so time consuming.  However finding a group of genuine like minded creators and kindred spirits is my most earnest desire.  

And finally - A change in how you look at the ordinary of everyday often means an opening of spirit or your mind to the new and unexplored.  For me this offers real possibilities in 2022.  While I’m not ready to divulge what those changes are, I am forcing myself to make the change from dreaming of the someday plans to stretching out of my comfort zone and starting the ball rolling……….

What does or could “change" look like for you in 2022?   

Best Wishes for you and yours, 

Gloria  

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2017 A New Year - With the last finished art of 2016 and Artist Planning

"Who?"  Colored Pencil on Suede Mat Board 8" X 10"

Available for Sale

The title if this painting has more meaning than the obvious subject of this piece.  You may have noticed I've been MIA for a few months.  And believe me if you haven't you weren't missing much.  

WHO?

Has been an ongoing question in my life for the last few months.  I love owls and the obvious is the lovely sound I hear from my home in the woods of VA on warm evenings. Secure and calming my soul.  They even call back to you if you mimic them, something my oldest son does better than I.  We have many owls who call from the security of our wooded lot along the creek behind my house.  Several different types but they have evaded my attempt to photograph them.  

My reference for this piece is not my own but from a great website called Paint my Photo, the photographer James Smith at  Chasing Myths Photography 

contributes to Paint My Photo.   Visit the site above to see some wonderful sharing photographers who have provided artists reference photos for use in their paintings.  

A quote from their website: Paint My Photo (PMP) is a social networking site dedicated to sharing photos for artistic inspiration without fear of infringing copyright.

Now back to that ongoing question, "Who?" the owl is asking - it's one I have been asking myself over the last few months. The new year usually has us evaluating our lives both past and future as we make plans for the new year.  Internally the Who asks me if I'm being the artist I want to be?  Have I planned for "Who" that artist is?  

Hmmmm.....

Planning for an artist involves many aspects, and if you sell and promote yourself it's a vital part of your brand and upcoming yearly tasks.  

Planning for me had me evaluating new goals (some old ones not yet accomplished) evaluating time spent on creating art and teaching as well as the new work itself.  You see most of us reflect on what we did wrong instead of what we did right over the course of the year.  To keep me from going too far down that rabbit hole, I always create a new goals list each year.  It's a great habit to get into if your an artist and can incorporate the practical along with a few lofty goals.  I personally have to watch how lofty I get, as an optimist, I can get pretty carried away! 

The Goals List enables you to look back occasionally over the year to see if your on track.  A sort of report card on how you are preforming according to your goals.  Giving you the chance to refocus your efforts if those goals are still in line with where you wan to go.  I always surprise myself how much I have accomplished when life seems to get in my way.  

While I'll not share my personal list here I will tell you that keeping up posts on my blog is very close to the top of the list.  Along with making more time for my own art creating while cutting back on my teaching schedule a little.  

What's your 2017 Goal List?  It's not too late to make one!  Make a comment and tell me what you think?  I appreciate knowing if this post resonated with you!  

Creatively Yours,

Gloria