Hello!
Hope your holiday season has been everything you wanted it to be. Like many of you at this time of year, I enjoy looking back at the year that was and thinking ahead to the next one. I don't make resolutions as such, but goals that I use to keep myself focused. They're aspirations, and I'm flexible about changing them, putting them off for another year, or just dropping them. That's because I tend to have way too many goals, too many things that I want to do, and I no longer will push myself to the point of exhaustion. It means I don't do everything I want, but in the end I'm happier and healthier, and that seems more important as I get older. Still, I enjoy looking back at what I did in fact accomplish and what notable things happened in the year.
Here's the "Top 5" recap for 2023 at Thimbleberry Studios:
- At the heart of Thimbleberry Studios now sits a beautiful Conrad press, and I couldn't be happier with her.
- After a couple of years of my focusing on trees, birds started showing up in my relief prints and my compositions became more complex. It always feels good to grow as an artist, but it's also good to know there's still so much I want to learn.
- Five of my prints were included in two local art shows, one of which was a juried show. I am both honored and humbled to have been chosen.
- I finally got serious about the business side of art: I took online business classes, leaned into social media (Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thimbleberrystudios/ and Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/thimbleberrystudios/), and revamped my website, which now includes videos I made about my printmaking process. I also set up a shop at the Etsy marketplace - https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThimbleberryArt
- People bought my art, in the form of art prints, cards, and stickers. It's been wonderful hearing about how others (maybe you!) enjoy what I make, and I am so grateful for the support.
And now it's time to think about 2024. I've heard of people choosing a word for their year to create an overarching theme for their goals, so I thought I'd try it out. My word for 2024 is "connection" because it's what I want more of.
Some "connection" goals for 2024:
- Make more connections between the disparate parts of my life. For the last few years, I've felt too much tension between the things in my life that I like to do. Three of my favorite activities - walking in nature, growing our food forest at home, and creating art - have been vying for my limited time to the point of distraction. This year I want to find more connections between them. More drawing in our yard, more nature journaling everywhere, and more incorporating all of that into my art.
- Connect the different kinds of art I make. One of my favorite printmakers, Delita Martin, is a master at incorporating everything from drawing to sewing into her printmaking to create her amazing art pieces. I'm going to try asking myself "What would Delita do?" (WWDD) and see where it takes me.
- Find more connections with people who make or love handcrafted art, nearby and around the world. Host an open studio day? Find a stockist? Join online printmaking groups? I'm going to make a list of ways to connect with fellow artists and art lovers and choose some to pursue in 2024.
- Connect more with the writer side of me by regularly writing blog posts. In the early years of my art practice, I blogged more often, including reflecting on my processes and sharing techniques. I know that writing practice was helpful for me, and I heard from my readers that they valued those posts. So, in 2024, I'm going to write a post at the end of each month. I'll send out an email to alert you that there's a blog post, and I'll include a link you can click on.
Those are my main goals for 2024. I'm excited to work on them. I'm curious to hear if you've got an end of year reflection or new year resolutions/goals. If you feel like connecting, share them with me in an email: hello@thimbleberrystudios.com. Or just say, "hi!"
Thanks for being here, and Happy New Year to you and yours!
Darby