A New Year, A Blank Canvas

Gentle Wind, Acrylic on Canvas – 48 x 36″

The days and weeks right after the holidays are my favorite time of the year. Things magically start to quiet down and there’s more time to think and plan. I feel as excited about a brand new year ahead, with all of its possibilities and opportunities, as I do a big blank canvas. It’s a chance to make new beginnings.

I don’t make resolutions. It’s simply a case of having a seasonal break from business, family and social demands to allow for a little breathing room. I like to begin this process from the inside out. It usually goes something like this:

• Evaluating my physical and mental well-being and acknowledging the improvements that are needed. The two are inseparable, so they must be addressed together.
• Surveying my surroundings and asking myself if they are a help or a hindrance to my creativity.
• Assessing whether or not my art career is going in the direction I want it to go, what marketing efforts are working and what changes are needed.
• Reviewing my body of work and the directions it has taken, what to keep and what to abandon.

Every one of these things requires that I do something concrete. This is not just a thinking exercise. But If I treat these as something to get stressed out over, I’ll negate my ability to create.

So what are your thoughts when things get quiet and you see a whole new year of opportunity in front of you?

Note:  This painting is not a blank canvas. But it represents a series that I want to continue in the coming months. It’s not a new direction, and not even a new painting. It’s just one that makes me happy. And isn’t that the best motivation of all?

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