2013 Year in Review
Happy New Year! As we head into 2014, I'm looking back at how my year has gone artistically, and as usual, I'm surprised and delighted by all that I accomplished. It is very easy to feel dissatisfied with my progress as an artist, but not if I take the time to look back. A lot has happened, and it encourages me to keep pursuing my artist's way. 2013 in Review:
January: In January I held a charity auction, raising money for Gospel for Asia. I auctioned five of my watercolour sketches on Ebay and raised nearly $300. A great response for an impromptu fundraiser!
February: In February I monetised my YouTube channel and began adding to my library of video demonstrations and tutorials in watercolour. It was neat to see ad revenues begin to increase as my videos grew in viewership, and it's been a great supplement to my art income to be making an income from teaching online.
March: In March I created my first watercolour abstract. It's great to be able to see abstracts as part of my painting repertoire and anytime an artist tries something new, they grow. It's a great way to get out of a rut! I was interviewed by the local TV station about my art, which was a neat opportunity to talk about what I do.
April: In April I exhibited paintings in two different art exhibitions in two different cities, and taught my spring watercolour session.
May: In May I painted an abstract landscape and I video-ed the process. It's been cool to hear the feedback on YouTube. For me, designing an abstract has to start in my head, so I can't force it - when one is in there, it will come out eventually. May was also a busy time as I continued to teach watercolour and papercrafting classes.
June: In June I was honoured to receive a "Chosen" award for my painting "Withered" at the Regional Juried Art Exhibition of the Peace Liard Regional Arts Council. I've been entering this annual competition for at least a decade and this was my first win, so that was pretty significant for me.
July: Summer was a lot of fun as I took some time off to enjoy the warm weather with my family. The kids and I made a fun photo storybook and I painted in my garage studio and recorded some painting videos, including my very popular "What Not to Do" watercolour tutorial.
August: In August I ran a half-marathon and bought a hearse. We went on vacation and I did lots of painting; mostly studies as I refine my landscape technique.
September: My favourite painting from September has to be "Huckleberry Hill." It's one of my favourite paintings from this year!
October: In October I had paintings in three different shows, and "Huckleberry Hill" won People's Choice Award at the Peace Landscapes show with the Peace River Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Another award that was truly meaningful.
November: I took the plunge and had five of my favourite paintings photographed and reproduced as prints in November. It's an affordable option for people who love art but find original paintings beyond their price range. I also love that I can have my watercolours printed on canvas, and larger, for those looking for a special size or effect.
December: I've been asked many times about teaching watercolour as an online class, and in December, this idea became a reality, as I filmed eleven video tutorials and created lessons for a "Exploring Fluidity in Watercolour" class with Skillshare.com. To date I have 150 students enrolled in the class, and the feedback has been great. I'm planning another class for sometime in the new year.
2013 has been a great year, jam packed with activity and definite progress. I'm looking forward to what 2014 has to hold!