Looking Ahead to 2018

It's always exciting starting a new year! After reflecting on the past year, it is natural to look ahead at the new possibilities to focus on as the new year begins. I have a lot of artistic plans and events for 2018 and thought I'd organize some my thoughts and ideas into a blog post to share with you.

I would like to continue to develop my acrylic painting portfolio in 2018. I plan to create paintings of vintage trucks, local landscapes, and depicting the various seasons we are so fortunate to experience. However, I also want to stretch my artistic muscles and explore different mediums as well.  This year I would like to revisit my original medium of choice: drawing. I thought a great way to do that is through a 30 day drawing challenge where I will create a drawing everyday for one month. I even thought I could share the process of the drawing challenge via social media live feeds. I am hoping it will provide me the opportunity to be more creative, fulfill my need to teach,  and reach a different audience that I have previously with my paintings.

I will be a participating artist in the 10th Annual Salem County Arts in Bloom Studio Tour. While I was reflecting where I was 10 years ago in my artistic career, I realized that it was at that time that I began studying to become an art educator. I decided to do a retrospective exhibition this year to provide the studio tour goers a look at where I started and how I have developed. I will have collections of drawings and paintings from college assignments as well as my first acrylic paintings that have not been on display before. I am really looking forward to putting this exhibition together to share with everyone!

This year I also plan to design a "Hometown Collection" of artwork and home goods featuring local towns and recognizable landmarks. My hope is to instill pride in local residents and to provide people who grew up here but have since moved the opportunity to reminisce. I am looking for input for my Hometown Collection of South Jersey Towns. To share your input and opinions on towns and landmarks I should include, please click here. I would greatly appreciate it! I plan to have the collection debut during the Arts in Bloom Studio Tour and then available online and locally at retail stores.

I am looking forward to 2018 and sharing my creations with you along the way. 

As always, thank you for your support!

Writing Every Week for One Year

Today marks the anniversary for writing a blog post every week for one year. <Insert confetti here!>  Although that doesn't seem like much to celebrate, I assure you it's a lot more challenging than you might think.

While taking a trip to Barre, Massachusetts to pick up art display equipment, I set a goal to write a blog post every week for one year. I got the idea from artist advising guru, Alyson Stansfield. I have taken many of her webinars and online classes where she advocates for educating art collectors on your artistic process and yourself as an individual. Creating connections is so vital for establishing relationships with clients that will invest in your artwork.

This past year I have written about painting progressions, reviews about events and products, tutorials, and sharing other artists. Through committing to writing a blog every week, I was encouraged too try new things, go to diverse art events, and had the opportunity to reflect and learn about my myself. I found that writing is another creative outlet that has helped me to discover new meaning and purpose for my artwork.

If you have been reading my blogs, I thank you for taking the time to read and comment on them! Your time and insight is greatly appreciated. I'm excited to see what the next year of writing will bring to my art career! Here is a look back at a few of my favorite blogs from this year: How Becoming a Mother Made Me a Better Artist, Why Landscapes?, and Utilizing Artwork for Agvocacy in South Jerseys Farming Industry.