2009, it seems, was a bad year for most people. Bad economy, bad juju, bad experiences. It was rough, but not all bad, for me. I took on the daily photo for a year challenge, and missed two (each time it was the day after returning from a very long drive). I took on a self-portrait every week for a year and completed it, keeping all 52 in color (granted, I stretched the boundaries on that quite a few times). By the way, as of this posting I still have to take my last daily photo and last self-portrait for the year (likely one and the same).
My first photo for 2009 was this one, of my friend Val and one of her sons, Malcolm:
I showed my work a few times in 2009...a two-woman show at Made by Hand Gallery in February, a slide presentation and talk at First Person Arts salon in April, a solo show at La Va Cafe from June through August, and an "Art under $100" group show at Sweet Mabel for December (and staying up through January, actually).
I suffered a cat bite in May that became immediately infected, but Jennifer (cat's owner) thankfully had a full course of antibiotics that took care of it. I suffered a dislocated pinky toe (was sticking out at a 90-degree angle to my foot) the last morning of our North Carolina vacation (Pete had to manipulate the toe back in).
There were too many goodbyes in 2009, both the moving away kind and the dying kind. This little one moved to Arizona in May. I babysat her regularly for 17 months.
Our sweet Pansy girl got very sick and we had to say goodbye to her in May..
and to poor ol' Bubba in November.
And we suffered the devastating loss of dearest friend Dr. Shelly Jacobson in July.
So it was a year of ups and downs, much like any year. I did not better myself in all the ways I had hoped in 2009, so I have plenty more work to do in 2010. More exercise. Eat better. Get work into a gallery that is not also a store or coffee shop (not that there's anything wrong with that). Be nicer to those closest to me (taking a tip from Charlie...try treating my immediate family, esp. husband, even a fraction of how generously nice I am to my online friends). Be nicer to other drivers.
Keeping to my art, the new year is starting out well with work appearing in a literary journal called Disenthralled (a special issue that just went live) and one of my photos on an album cover for this awesome band Talking to Walls (how cool is that)?
I submitted my membership to the DaVinci Art Alliance for the year. I will be applying to the Art of the State again and hoping to get in. I will be trying more film. I will NOT be forcing myself to do a year in photos or a weekly self-portrait or any of those things. I want to give myself some freedom and try to develop some discipline of my own. I will be continuing to beg for your daily votes (5 stars if you love me) on my portfolio in the Artists Wanted contest.
I will be continually trying to improve myself. Thank you so much for the support and encouragement given to me throughout the year. I wish you all joy and peace in the new year and always.
xoxo
