Happy New Year! I hope everyone is off to a great start to the new year. As I’ve been thinking a lot about New Year’s resolutions, I wanted to share some of what I’ve been working on as well as some of what I have planned. My biggest resolution this year is to prioritize art. As many of you know, at the beginning of December I was able to leave my full time job. Over the past few weeks I’ve been figuring out the transition from working for someone else to working for myself full time, and what I’ve found is that its very easy to get caught up doing so many other things, other than what I really want to be doing which is making art. There has definitely been a learning curve on how to make this jump happen. I spent a lot of time kind of playing catch up and then there were also the holidays: my birthday, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years. They took us all over visiting friends and family, doing quite a bit of baking, and having a great time. I had a difficult time restructuring my new found time to make sure I devoted enough time to making art and finished out December thinking “where is all that art I meant to make!?”. Of course I know the measure of success shouldn’t really be quantity, and I did manage to work on some projects during December that I am really excited about.

I was lucky enough to get to take a class in experimental printmaking with the wonderful artist and teacher Nandini Chiromar. Taking this class with her launched me into some wonderful work that I am really excited about. The processes that she covered in class are similar to the way I already work, in terms of combining printed elements with hand drawn and painted ones in a collage like manner, but getting to see her approach was eye opening and refreshing for me and leaves a lot more room for spontaneity and playfulness.

I also created a new print for the SGCI exchange portfolio “Exposed Strata”, curated by Sue Carrie Drummond. For this exchange portfolio I had to create a print using at least two processes. I composed a digital collage using photos of plant parts that I have collected and made a four color screenprint. The centerpiece is a golden yellow blossom of hydrangea. On top of that I printed a translucent ribcage using a photopolymer plate on the Vandercook. The effect is meant to appear as if new life is being breathed into this body that has become overgrown and dried out, as expressed by the golden orb of blossoms.

I have also started work on two new artists books. I began photographing trees for the book I will make as part of the scholar program I am a part of at the Center For Book Arts. I also began making prints for another book, also about trees, and have printed some lovely backgrounds using pressure prints. By the end of January I plan to launch a new monthly print series as well, so stay tuned for more on that. You can see images of these works in progress as well as the new print in the Gallery section of my site.

The cover photo for this post is my New Years card which I will be mailing out to those on my physical mailing list. If you would like to receive one and aren’t already on my mailing list just use the form in the contact section of my website to send me your address.

2018 is shaping up to be an ambitious year. I have so much I want to accomplish. I want to read two books a month and discover new music every week. I want to make it to more art exhibitions. I want to get more involved with local social justice groups and do some volunteer work. And of course what would a resolution list be with the requisite plans to eat healthier, get more exercise, and focus on becoming my best self. All of these things are great, but above all, I am so happy that I will be making the commitment to my artistic practice and filling my time with more art making! So Happy New Year and here’s to an artful 2018!