2014: a year in review

Last year, I put together a top 13 of '13 list. I accomplished a lot, in no small part to my #art365 pledge. This year, I gave myself some slack. I declared that Art Related Works counted towards making art. So if I spent the day stretching canvases, or wiring work, or delivering work, that counted. There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that take up a lot of time, that are necessary, that are absolutely not making art. So while this year started winding down, I started evaluating if this had actually been a good idea or not. 

And decided not.

I felt like I hadn't gotten enough done this year. And then I started counting. And updating my resume. And I did actually accomplish a lot this year. No top 14 list, but here are a few of the highlights...

The grant. Once again, I was an IAP grantee from the Indiana Art Commission. Two years ago I was a FY2013 grantee and produced those large scale paintings. This year (FY2015) the grant was used to fund...

Notice the syringe. It's about 1/2" above the surface of the paper.

The residency. My first residency. A week at Hook Pottery Paper working with Andrea Peterson on papermaking. It. Was. Amazing. And that doesn't come close to really describing it. A week of making art with no distractions and the feedback from Andrea all throughout. She pulled a lot out of me that I could not have gotten on my own. She encouraged me to trust myself without thinking about what I was doing.

pulp painting (papermaking) 22" x 30"

Really, I could stop there. The residency was the highlight of the year. But a few other things happened that are worth remembering. 

artwork. I made 159 pieces of art. This is a lot. But it's considerably less than 2013's 216 pieces.

shows. I was in 21 shows. That's up from 15 in 2013. Within that, I showed in several venues which were new to me: Thaddeus C Gallery, Merge Building, South Shore Arts (Salon Show), White Ripple, Taltree Arboretum, Beverly Shores Depot, Hammond Public Library, and Uptown Evolution.

into, acrylic, 10" x 10" at Thaddeus C Gallery

Here's what next aka my plan for 2015.

#art365 needs to be a bigger force. Right after I decided I needed to be brutal about making art everyday again, I got sick. Too sick to be out of bed for a couple of days. There was no possible way I could make art those days. So, while I need to remain in the habit of making art everyday, I also need to accept that there will be days it just won't happen. 

#art365 12.16.14 gouache

The resume needs to be updated more regularly. At least once a month. I'm not entirely sure that 21 shows is accurate but that was all I remembered. It will also need to be edited severely because it's two full pages now and it's already down to 10 point type. I have 4 shows booked for 2015 already and they aren't listed yet. (Members Only and LIVE ART at Studio 659 in January and February, Indigenous Landscapes is travelling to the Indiana Welcome Center in February, and the as-yet-untitled solo show of my papermaking at the Towle Theater in April and May.)

below the surface, acrylic, 11" x 14" at White Ripple

Reach farther Despite the fact that I showed in all those new places, the rest of the shows were all in a handful of spaces. I need to move out of my comfort zone. (and out of Northwest Indiana)

pulp painting (papermaking), 22" x 30"

It has been a great year. Best wishes to all of you and yours for 2015!