Resolutions, intentions, dreams, plans, goals, habits. We aim for change each New Year, set ourselves straight again, brush off the dust from last year. This year it will be better. I will be better.
I’m not so sure about that. To want to be better implies that you’re starting from a point of not being good enough. I prefer the Roman idea of looking forwards and backwards. Deciding what you’re going to let go of and what you’re going to walk (or run) towards.
Looking back at intentions from previous years, one intention was to find ways of protesting and reversing the destruction of our planet, and though I’ve dried off a little from my plunge into the eco world, what has stuck is friendship, meaningful online and in person groups, the ability to protest with like minded people if I can, and a whole raft of learning, ideas and writing that continues to link into my work and life.
Another year, was my ‘year of art’. I determined to be a ‘patron of the arts’, in my own (very) small way, partly to prove to my irrational mind that art, including my own, is worth something and brings joy. From that year, I have beautiful pieces of art, commissioned furniture and memories of amazing live music, all of which still bring me joy- plus a quiet, but enduring, confidence in the purpose of art, for want of a better word.
One thing that has been proved to me over the years, is that having an intention, at least to start with, is the key. It leads to easier decisions, a seeking out of what you need and an opening up to opportunities- often a resounding and confident ‘YES’ when something comes your way.
This year I’m still allowing the intentions to percolate. Completing an exercise for a course recently, whereby I had to find the values of my work and business, I came up with simplicity, ease and patience. A similar exercise had me making my commitments for the year. I came up with create space, keep it simple, slow down, pay attention and invest in my work. Not straying too far from these words would see me in good stead for 2025 and no doubt they will start to become more concrete over the coming weeks.
One thing I do know, is that I’ll be launching my 8 week, comprehensive ‘Hand-printing Happiness’ video course in May, so amongst the many things I will need to learn, is how to let as many people know about the course, whilst maintaining simplicity, ease and patience!
On a serious note though, if one of your intentions this year is to deepen, broaden or loosen your art practice and outcomes, then ‘Hand-Printing Happiness’ might be for you. It will take artists beyond playful Gelli plate printing, into techniques, ideas and practices that can produce beautiful results and integrate into an existing art practice.
There’s so much that you can do in the home print studio- and printmaking gives you a process to lean on, whilst you let your art flow and transform.
Join the waitlist here, if you’re interested in knowing about it first.