Starting off with 2010

Whoops, something looks different here!  It's about time I put some proper work into blogging, and to get things started on the right foot I thought it should start with a new look.  No more dark and moody colours, let's go with bright and clean and crisp, like a new canvas awaiting that first swipe of paint, just like this new decade that lies before us.

 A Word, Not a Resolution.  Last year as I was hammering out plans for 2009, I read Christine Kane's blog post about theming your year around a word instead of setting dry resolutions.  Just one word, the right word, can bring clarity and purpose to your goals in a way that a list of resolutions never could.  Recently she had several guest authors on her blog who gave stories about their Word Of The Year, very inspiring reading!

Last year I had some pretty huge goals looming, and I was more than a little intimidated by some of it.  I set my Word of the Year, Commit.  By committing to these dreams and ambitions before me, I resolved to see them happen.  The goals were constantly in sight, especially that seemingly impossible one, the 3-week solo trip around Scotland.  That was the one in which I most feared I would fail, so that was the one I worked hardest toward, and consequently became the 'easiest' goal to achieve as everything fell into place.  I bought my airline tickets early in the process, which indeed made the whole thing a true commitment.  By clicking 'purchase', I wholly committed to the intent of making this trip a reality.  But I didn't do so recklessly, I'd done a lot of research beforehand!

I spent much time roaming Trip Advisor's Scotland Forums, talked with many friends who had been there and who live there, learned where and what is permissible in wild camping as well as the locations of campsites and backpackers hostels throughout the country.  It was to be a true adventure, with the only reservations made at the start and the end of the trip, and everything in between left wide open.  I'd browsed Flickr in search of inspiring photos of where I wanted to go, and turned them into a screen saver on my computer.  the same sort of dedication went to shows I participated in, commissions received, paintings completed...  Commit was at the forefront of most things done last year.

This year I gave the word theme a lot of thought.  Where do I want to go?  What goals to I hope to meet?  How do I want my art and my business to develop?  After a lot of thought, the word finally came - Grow.  A nice simple word, yet filled with so much potential.  Professionalism, dedication, my in-studio inventory, the level of shows I would like to participate in, gallery representation, marketing efforts... all of these aspects would do well to grow.  Growth in courage and character to step into new and bigger things.  Growth through education and professional development.  Growth through much studio time in practice and improving the art.  I'm thinking of it as a seedling that needs nurturing - with proper care and attention it can blossom.

Lisa Call has gone a bit further and has set a word theme for this new decade, a brilliant idea.  Her word fits her perfectly - Joy.  She inspired me to set a word for this new decade as well.  Unlike the word I chose for 2010, the idea of theming the decade actually came much easier - because I fully believe I began living this last year... so Adventure seems to fit perfectly.  When you live it fully and without apprehension, life most definitely is an adventure!

Roll on 2010, let's see what we can grow this year!