New Year, Same Me

I’ve never been a huge fan of New Year celebrations. When I was younger there was the inevitable pressure to plan big nights out. They generally failed to meet expectations and required long walks home as taxis were always harder to fine. Now I’m older I don’t feel the need to cave into the hype. With the added factor of lockdown, this new year’s celebrations were perfect. A lovely meal at home cooked by my husband and sitting in our living room, in front of a roaring fire, watching fireworks set off by others on the beach.

My ‘not buying into the hype’ also extends to making new year resolutions. I’ve never really understood why a date in the diary should somehow strengthen your will power to do a load of stuff you failed to do throughout the year. So, no resolutions for me – but I do like a bit of plan. I tend not to do loads of planning for my art. I think, in part, it’s a reaction to needing clear plans in my day job. But this year, with the reintroduction of lockdown and the prospect of days and weeks merging into one, I felt I needed a bit of structure. When I say ‘a plan’, its very loose – a page of brain dump ideas I may or may not get round to doing. But the intention is there.

So here’s a few things on my 2021 Plan….

Learning, Learning, Learning

First on the list is CVP – Nicholas Wilton’s Creative Visionary Programme. I’ve looked into this course several times: toying with the idea of signing up but have never taken the leap. It’s not a cheap course, and I think last year that was the obstacle for me. We had just moved house and I wasn’t sure what my plans were work-wise, so it didn’t feel like the right time. In addition, and I don’t know why, I perceived online to be a less valuable exchange than the ‘in-person’ workshops and courses I’ve attended. Our COVID world has put a stop to that. I’m still waiting to attend a number of in-person workshops I’ve booked, but I’m determined to also push forward with the virtual.

I attended the Art2Life Sparks programme last year, which really helped me push forward. So, this year CVP is back on my list. Hearing such high praise for the course from artists who have completed it, I’m going to treat myself!

More Challenges

Second on the list is to throw myself into a few challenges. I loved taking part in @clairemillenart 12 days of Christmas art challenge and really like one of my final pieces, so this year I’ll do a few more.

The first challenge will be #oneofmanypostcards. I’ve spotted this in a few feeds of artists I like and follow on Instagram. Artists such as @shedstudio52 – I’ve been following the hashtag for a few months. @johnapedder, another artist I follow, developed the initiative. It encourages creatives to produce postcard size works, post them on Instagram and offer them up for free. In return, people are asked to donate to a charity of their choice. It’s a lovely idea, as it doesn’t put pressure on the recipients and it spreads goodwill and community spirit. Lets face it: charities today need our support more than ever. I made a start at the weekend so I’m hoping to finish them off this week.

Experimenting with Different Mediums

I had a spring clean of the art room over Christmas. It was a much needed tidy and sort out. Rummaging through drawers and cupboards, I found load of art supplies I have purchased across several years. I’ve never quite got round to using them yet, so 2021 will be a year to experiment!

Collage is going to be one of my first, and I have already created a few. I spotted posts by @Suejohnsonstudio over Christmas.which inspired me So, this year, I’m going to experiment more. I’ve decided it’s a great way to recycle the off-cuts from the (rather twee) greetings card type pieces I’ve made in the past.

This weekend I also gave Lino cut a try – playing with my gel plate; so now I have a load of collage papers to play around with.

Back to Basics

The last on my list is to start drawing again. I stopped my daily practice of drawing when I switched my website from a blog to one that showcases my art more. I’m not planning on returning to such a rigid discipline, but I do want to start drawing again.

I completed a couple of new paintings this week which I will get round to uploading to the sketchbook section on my website. I haven’t added any for a while, so maybe that should be on my plan as well!