Overview of a creative year

Last week on Morag's blog "Paper Rainbow", she gave a round-up of her year's creative highlights, and I thought that was a really good idea. I always feel as if I don't have enough time to do everything I want to do, but looking back on my year I realize I've accomplished quite a lot. Maybe not all I had in mind, but then I always make my goals too big, and I shouldn't forget that I also made an intercontinental move this year, which takes up a LOT of time (still does!).

So here's my overview of this year :-)

January: Since it was summer holiday in Australia we went on a trip, and I didn't do much art. But I did manage to squeeze in a 2 day-workshop with Orly Avineri about art journaling. This is one of the spreads from that workshop:

February: my favorite challenge: 29 faces! Making a face every day of the month, and  one extra, since February this year only had 28 days. Love that challenge! Here's my overview of all the faces I did that month:

March: Did all kinds of things in March, but I also finished a painting: "I don't know how to let you go". One week after I put it on my blog it was sold already! My quickest sale ever :-)

April: in April I did a giveaway on my blog to celebrate 200 followers. This was one of the 2 paintings I gave away:

May: in May I did a weekend workshop with Tracy Verdugo. Two whole days of painting, bliss! This is one of the paintings that I started during the workshop: "Build a brighter world".

June: Another one of my favorite challenges started this month: Summer of Color. Six weeks of creating something using the prescribed colours. A real challenge sometimes to use colours I don't really like, but sometimes it leads to interesting discoveries. This is an overview of the 6 paintings I made.

July: in July I finally tried out something I'd been wanting to do since a while: making a poetrybook with my art. I used poetry from the public domain, in combination with images of my art. Loved making it, and will definitely make more in the future.

August: I managed another thing I had been wanting to try out since a long time: making a pattern! After a lot of trial and error, I came up with this:

September: August and September I was the featured artist in the Seaside Artist's Gallery in Redcliffe. At the same time it was my goodbye to this wonderful gallery, where I was able to exhibit for almost 3 years.

October: the month of our overseas move, but I still managed to do a few drawings for the Inktober challenge. Loved it so much that I'll definitely do it again next year!

November: so little time to do art, but I managed to do some sketching, and also had a giveaway on my blog for a spot in Soulfood, where I'll be one of the teachers next Spring!

December: the end of the year, and I've discovered artjournaling all over again :-) Of course it helps having a friend who loves this too, so most of the time we sit together and paint. A practice I really want to continue in the next year.

Thanks so much Morag, for giving me this idea for an overview of the year. I did much more than I thought I did, and it gives me a boost knowing what I could achieve in a year that was marked by a big house move that needed a lot of time and preparation. I know now that even when you have limited time on your hands, it's always possible to do something creative. You just need to remember to do it.

This'll be my last blogpost for this year, so I want to wish you all a wonderful new creative year, a year to overcome challenges and embark on some new adventures, a year where you remember to take the time to just play! Thanks so much for sharing this journey with me, for being here and for taking the time to comment, for encouraging me and giving me wings to keep on going. Big hugs to all of you ♥ ♥ ♥