2024 was a year for florals! So, this was not at all planned, but perhaps was what my soul needed. Not sure, but the vast majority of the paintings were floral. Funny thing, when I first began painting, a friend asked me if I had considered painting flowers. I was a little shocked, and said no of course not, there is no way a painting could even come close to representing the beauty of a real flower. Now I recognize the power of even an imperfect painting to bring to mind and into our homes the special meaning or memory and heart-stirring power of florals.
International! This is the year that my paintings began to spread their wings far beyond my wildest imagination. One of my paintings traveled to the other side of the globe to live and love permanently. How fun! It is also the year that my website became fully functional for international orders and shipping. I’m offering a special discount code for the first international orders through the site!
Podcast coming up: In August I was interviewed for the Good Day podcast with Candace Cofer. More later on the story of that day and the craziness going on around me while recording. The episode will air later this spring, and I’ll be sure to let you know when that happens!
Rejection. 2024 was a year of rejections. I participated in an exhibit at Terra Rosa Gallery in February which makes me kind of sad—it was a great time but it ruined a record for me! 😊 For the entire rest of the year I was rejected for every other thing I entered. I know this can be normal, but it’s a little sting, and eventually became kind of laughable. What was probably more weird was that in the beginning of my art journey, I never received a rejection, I really don’t think there was one!
Photography: One of the contests I entered in ’24 was a photography contest. This was fun to do, although, yeah the rejection. It’s so difficult to choose photos to enter. You are probably somewhat like me with so many photos, but really mine are off the charts, and choosing only three to enter was crazy hard. However, this year has seen a greater interest in my photography—I only currently print and sell the photo art greeting cards, but you all have been so great with your comments and purchases. Makes me consider adding some photography prints to my website. We’ll see!
You may have noticed from some of my posts, but the value of rest has been so strongly imprinted on me this year. This was a year of caregiving for me which was truly a blessing, and I know I’m not alone. Sometimes we must accept and embrace a slower pace even though it doesn’t feel like what we want to do. I’ve been very mindful of this, but you know some things are just hard. Anyway, when I worked a 9-5 desk job, I used to say---it really wasn’t a joke—that I needed and wanted a Sabbatical. That was not going to happen in that environment, but what is so great now, is that I can actually do this. I’ve noticed that I’m feeling some stress or burnout, possibly growth, or something which is really hard to label. I know that social media has felt bad this past year. It feels a little like it’s sucking out your soul because it demands so much and gives so little in return. So, my plan is to give myself grace in this area. I’m only there to add something good to the mix. I’m really not stuck at all. I’m able to shift my focus and priority to different formats and intentionally give myself more free time to work on processes which should make my life easier. There are many areas of my life, home and business which need a good spring cleaning and organization! I can’t wait to get some of those things done!
I want to give special thanks to a few of you for your special love and support this past year: Terra Rosa Art Gallery, Wildfire Gallery on Paseo, and especially friend Denice Erway, Irmgard Geul, the most supportive artist friend, Myriad Gardens Shop, Emory Anne Interiors and the real Emory Anne, those of you who have appreciated or collected the art, my husband and all my friends and family, all my grandchildren who mean so much to me and make my life great! And blessings to you, dear reader, thanks for being here!
The last thing, just in case you’re interested.
Reading: 2024 was a year of books! I know many people read a lot, but this has not been me for most of my adult life. That is, until this year. I’m even in a book club! I personally can’t believe it. 27 books read and I’ve listed them for you. I think it would be good to do a more detailed book journal with a thought or two or even some quotes. I wouldn’t recommend all of these, but some were so great! Ask me and I’ll give you my thoughts! I read a book early in the year, The Unchartered Flight of Olivia West, which I happened to see in the airport in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on our way to the Bahamas. This book sent me down a rabbit hole or maybe you could call it an obsession(?) with early flight and Charles Lindbergh and Hawaii/island life. Eight books altogether, I think. Maybe I’m done, but we’ll see.
Here’s my list for ’24:
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Go as a River by Shelley Read
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway
Life with Picasso by Francoise Gilot, Carlton Lake
Visual Thinking by Temple Grandin
The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming
Wintering by Katherine May
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
The Stars by H. A. Rey
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron
Dutch by Edmund Morris
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Boom Town by Sam Anderson
Hula by Jasmin Iolani Hakes
Audition by Barbara Walters
The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar
Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal
Barbarian Days by William Finnegan
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West by Sara Ackerman
Race to Hawaii by Jason Ryan
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Spirit of St. Louis by Charles Lindbergh