Art Review 2013

Happy New Year!

Looking back and reflecting has always been part of my way seeing through the transition of one year into the next.  Rather boldly and publicly, on this blog, I outlined 6 New Year Resolutions at the beginning of 2013.  Now I have to review whether any of them came to fruition!

1. Work smaller scale -  my work generally has been on a smaller, manageable scale.  However, I did also toy with the idea of a series of very small paintings based on local landscapes around my village, but have not done a single one!
2.  Work more from life - I have definitely done more work from life this past year.  Paintings have tended to be connected with the classes, but sketchbook work has increased greatly.  Making use of those small allocations of time creatively has helped me stay connected with my personal inner artist as well as honing skills and observation.

Bird studies - observing through the kitchen window.

3.  Close Inspection, initiate a series of work based on close up textural surfaces - this has not got off the ground, although I have continued to photograph areas of abstracted texture.  Maybe the answer is to set up a Flickr account and keep them just as a photographic series?
4.  Seasonal, initiate a series of work based on still life fruit and vegetables - this has not really spilled over into my personal work, although it has remained part of the class programmes and is an element I always enjoy.

Winter squash painted in sketchbook, couldn't resist the colouring...

5.  Act on opportunities and interests, don't put things off - this aspect is an ongoing work in progress.  I am definitely an 'ideas person' and generate so many, not all of them practical, that sometimes I need a bit of time to pass to assess which are viable.  I have found it really helpful to write down ideas in a notebook, and have even ticked off a few from the previous year.  In 2013 I finally entered the Eastern Open Exhibition and despite not having anything selected really enjoyed the work I did make for it.  I organised a bag for doing sketchbook work when away on holiday - France was more successful than Rome.  I treated myself to a camcorder, filmed work in progress, and set up my YouTube channel.  In November I took on the role of membership secretary for the West Norfolk Artists Association and have already had an article published in Update (the monthly newsletter) titled 'Making the most of Your Membership'.

I feel this resolution has been instrumental in making me have a more proactive outlook.  (Plus it will have repercussions into 2014 - more on that in my next post).

Camcorder set up - ready for action!

6.  Website - I periodically tried to get my original website on track.  However, images of my work have sailed off into the wide blue yonder and the whole thing does not seem very 'user friendly'.  In the autumn I signed up to Weebly and have been slowly building a free website, and have a fair amount of pages / galleries done but it is not yet 'published'.  I wonder if I am trying to be too ambitious, too soon.  This website will showcase all the media and genres I incorporate into my artistic life.  I would also like to organize a 'shop' but that may have to come later - better to go 'live' and see how it operates in public first.

So, some successes and inevitably a few non-starters.  Why not 100% success?  With hindsight I was probably over ambitious in my expectations, but human nature plays a big part.  I am sure many of us make resolutions and most of them will have fallen, been broken or completely fail to get off the ground before January has even passed.

Did you make any resolutions in 2013?  Try a review - and then make some more for 2014!!!

Happy New Year!