History is an angel….

…being blown backwards into the future. This line from Laurie Anderson’s The Dream Before haunted me as I considered a year-end reflection and a new-year preparation. When we make resolutions, there is some implication that we want to do better, do more, do different and lose sight of what has gone well, what we have done well.

I want to begin 2022 appreciating my artistic journey and set an intention to stay open to the creative process that seems to be unfolding and to do so without judgment, without fear and importantly with glee, passion and excitement.

2021 began absent the adrenaline and the madness that usually leads up to the holidays and the accompanying family and community events (remember this was 2020). I thus entered into 2021 a little sluggish. It wasn’t until late January that I felt a whack on the side of my head: “Hey Valentine’s Day is coming up, what are you going to do about it?” And so I woke up and started painting and creating.

2021 Review

Sometimes, my art work emerged from a messy pile of watercolor debris. I surprised myself at what came of it all.

Getting Ready for the Holidays

The Green Goddess – I started creating artwork for this holiday season’s greeting cards in July. Inspired by a fashion image, I knew I wanted to create something special for friends and patrons. The Green Goddess emerged and has a home with my Ballgown series. Each goddess was created by hand. I only recently divested my studio of the green glitter (but still finding stray pieces throughout the house) and now, I am happy to share that glitter with those who received this card.

The Poinsettia – This watercolor started out as a practice and learning exercise. I soon realized it had potential to serve as my personal holiday greeting card.

I concluded the image would be better appreciated framed by gold foil. (Hand-assembly required.) So 5O individual cards later and 25 more to go, I decided I needed another image that would be easier to reproduce.

Pookie Bear – I had been playing around with Teddy Bears for just the fun to if. One day, this little guy showed up on my watercolor paper. Such an endearing look on his face that I couldn’t resist sharing him. May your holidays be stuffed with lasting memories and lots of love. My husband has even framed the original for his office.

So there you have it….the results of 2021.

Getting ready for the new year, I read the rest of the Laurie Anderson song. The lyrics may not seem to apply but here is how I see it

• History is a pile of debris
  • My studio was often a messy pile
• And the angel wants to go back and fix things
  • The artist wants to go back and do things over again
• To repair the things that have been broken
  • To redo the discarded pieces of art
• But there is a storm blowing from Paradise
  • But 2022 awaits; there is no stopping it
• And the storm keeps blowing the Angel
  • And there is a churning in the Artist to
• Backwards
  • Forge
• Into the future
  • Ahead
• And this storm, this storm
  • For this churning
• Is called
  • Is called
• Progress
  • Progress

Happy New Year