For folks living in Boston the new year isn't really in January but rather in September when the students return for a new school year. It's a time where for many people we take stock of what we want for our next year and create a plan to (hopefully) get there. I'm happy to say that I have a plan!
Last year was a good start to get back to making art again and I continue to make art every month. But I know that I know that I need to do more than simply make art to get my artwork out there and seen by others. By as many people as possible. Now this is the actual hard part of my life as an artist. And this is what this next year will be about for me.
Getting started I will be following The Artist's Way and the number one most important task that I have never done successfully from that book is the Morning Pages.
Every morning I will wake up and instead of checking Facebook I will write three pages here as my morning pages. I will write them on the computer or the iPad using Evernote. 750 words every day. No excuses. I think the computer is the better choice because it is easier to write on and 750 words is a lot of words. In the book she recommends writing them longhand but it is an old book and the hand cramps caused by writing always causes me to stop and quit. Plus this way if I want to move anything to a blog later on it will be easier to do and also writing with pen and paper causes hand cramps and I have a hard time writing three pages. Online through Evernote seems like the best way for me to keep up these morning pages and not quit like I have in the past.
Now that I have a plan I am actually getting excited for Monday and big sister going back to school and a few days of morning childcare for little sister. Two mornings a day to devote to art is a lot for me and I am going to make things happen this year. Big sister is ready and looking forward to school, little sister is ready to see more of her buddy and have more structure herself and I am ready for some structure on my free time.
I will get my art blog going again. New and improved. I will write and I will improve.
I will spend the time I need to on the business side of art that I struggle with so much.
I will go on artist dates with myself (and with my family too).
I will read books and blogs that nurture and inspire my artist self and not waste my time with the ones that don't.
I will sketch often, possibly daily at least weekly. I haven't decided yet and I don't want to bite off too much and get discouraged. This is often where I get tripped up, fail and quit. Biting off more than I can handle at a time.
I will continue to print and make fresh artwork but for awhile that is going to be put on the back burner while I focus on the parts I have been neglecting for so long.
I will do more art projects with my kids and with the kids at school.
"No aesthetic blah, no art babble, just how to get your head put on straight and how to deal with your own aesthetic and your own work." That is what I want from my blog and from the next year of writing.
Pray and work. Think that sums up what life should be for me otherwise I just end up falling in the complain and worry trap. I like pray and work much better!
On Monday everything starts and I am excited about it!