Happy New Years everyone,
I hope the year is starting in a good place for you.
I was trying to imagine what 2011 was going to be for me.
*2006 was the year of Girl Scouts :(
*2007 was the year of ebay
*2008, the year of blogging
*2009 was the year of educating myself (learning some really basic photography, refreshing my knowledge of perspective, and developing some passable photoshop skills among other things).
In 2010 I decided that what I really needed to do (having walked away from making “real art” in 1997) was to redefine myself as an illustrator and to increase my studio time while improving my work ethic. Unfortunately 2010 was also the year that I decided that drawing stupid cartoons for clients (aka illustration) is NOT my strength, and is not something I wanted to spend my days doing. I have an Annie Dillard quote on the wall above my computer which says that
“How we spend out days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
and I refuse to spend my life struggling to produce mediocre cartoons.
So, in 2011 I want to just be. No “shoulds”, no forcing new skills, no trying to make myself into something relevant; just allowing whatever is, to be. I'll probably do some stock since I enjoy that and I might even revisit “art” (sans the morbidly narcissistic seriousness of the "art world"). If I don't end up creating anything at all, that's okay too, because 2011 is the year of "just being" and that's enough. Sat Nam.
7 comments:
Happy Being to you!
Sounds like an incredibly wonderful plan.
Wonderful plan for your up coming year!
Happy New year Sharon!
Love the new look of the blog:)
I find your post fascinating - and I like that 2011 is just BEing in whatever way unfolds...
Thanks Tara! I hope you have a wonderful healing year ahead of you!
Happy New Year to you too Anet! Glad you like the new template. Zoe said the old one was better and I'm not sure she isn't right but it's time for a change.
Thanks Sandy, Happy New Years!!!
Hi Sharon, You certainly have been very directed and "Just Being" is your deserved reward.. Feels like a weight off doesn't it..
John and I spent the last two days working out the pros and cons of a new project and decided all it would do was take our "precious' time away from what we really want to do.. so the reasoning behind your Annie Dillard quote is exactly the conclusion we came to... and we feel happier and lighter!!
I wish you, Larry and Zoe the best year you can imagine... with lots of Freedom to explore all the things that come naturally. take care, Gwen
The perfect plan. To just be.
I hear ya -- I have had years along the way where I did illustration and design for clients, and no matter how much money I made or how much I told myself I was only accepting clients that *I* wanted, I still ended up feeling like I was selling myself for mediocrity. Blech!
Thanks Gwen,
After your new studio building I can imagine how you'd both like a break from projects. That was amazing. Happy New Years to all of you too!
Hey Denise!
Thanks for commiserating. It's nice to know that someone else understands. We're pretty lucky to have the ability to choose and that we aren't forced by necessity to have to compromise too much. Like Gwen said in her comment, it's kind of a weight off to let that all go.
:)
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