Updates from Terri on Her Art Journey
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January got off to a slow start for me. After overindulging during the holidays, I was feeling sluggish and lethargic; nothing much got done during the first couple of weeks. But by the end of the month, I was able to check a few things off my to-do list. I exhibited two of my paintings at City Lights Art Gallery, entered one of my watercolors in a Nevada Watercolor Society juried competition and took an art webinar. And I started my benchmark painting for 2024.
But by far my biggest accomplishment of the month: I finally organized my little office studio! At barely 100 square feet, it’s a pretty tiny space. So it didn’t take long for me to overload it with an abundance of art supplies and materials. There was so much stuff piled on top of stuff that I could never locate what I was looking for (I should have taken a before picture!). So I ended up buying duplicates of just about everything. Yesterday I took a bunch of the overflow down to my local gallery and donated it to the cause. It’s such a relief to finally get organized. Now I can actually see what I have to work with. And it’s inspired me to get back to some serious painting. My plan for the month of February is to finally complete my benchmark painting. More on that TK (which means “to come” in journo language).
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It’s still January, so I believe it’s not too late to make some plans and set some goals for this year. I’ve spent much of this month reflecting on what I’d like to do and accomplish in 2024, and I think I’ve narrowed it down a bit.
First and foremost, I want to live the year adhering to my motto: Stay Positive, Stay Focussed and Stay Strong! I want this year to be about quality (not quantity) and more about joy and experience (rather than stress and production). Unlike last year, when I produced a LOT of artwork (none of it particularly good), I want this year to be about growing, improving and creating art I truly love and want to make (and not necessarily to sell). One way to get there, I believe, is to PARTNER WITH GOD. When I co-create with the Holy Spirit of God, I am fulfilled and my joy shows up in what I’ve painted. I’ve experienced this a few times, but not always. So, I want my FOCUS this year to be on the Lord and how He’s trying to fill my time and space. I want to stay STRONG in my belief that God has a plan and purpose for me and my artwork. I want to walk with Him in my art journey, and I want to enjoy the journey. Even when I run into some speed bumps or hurdles along the way, I want to stay POSITIVE. There are, of course, a few practical things I must do in order to get where I think God may be leading me. (I’m still open to where and what that is exactly, which is why I need to continually seek direction and inspiration from Him.) The first step I must take if I want to see improvement in my painting skills is to STUDY AND LEARN. I need a refresher in the fundamentals of good painting; the basics, like subject selection, composition and design, values, color and color mixing. And I need to continually practice throughout the year in both watercolor and acrylic paints. I want to challenge myself to learn some new techniques and styles, as well, like figurative painting. During the year, I’d like to attend at least four workshops (either in person or online). And I want to be more original. Rather than relying on the imagination and photographs of other artists, I want to develop my own personal style and use my own reference materials. To this end, I want to curate the photographs I’ve taken over the years, as well as take at least one trip to a new place to gather more photo references. Finally, I want to be more intentional about participating in my local art community. At least two times during the year I’d like to exhibit in a gallery and/or enter a juried competition. It is obvious to me that to achieve these goals, I need to be consistent. So, although I’m not quantifying how much I’ll produce during the year, I do want to devote two hours each day (Monday to Friday) to my art journey, either studying and learning or actually painting. I also need to spend time organizing my office/studio. (That’s on my agenda for the rest of this month so I can get a fresh start on the year ahead.) I plan to block out the time between 1 and 3 p.m. for my art journey. This should give me plenty of time to spend with the Lord, who is, after all, my true inspiration and co-creator. Two weeks into the new year, I’m still working on my painting plan for 2024. I have some general ideas of what I’d like to accomplish this year, and perhaps I’ll keep it that way. Rather than getting specific with my painting goals, and keeping track of every hour I paint or how many paintings I sell, I think I’ll try to measure my work in how much joy I derive from simply painting.
Coming up with a measurement for “joy” may be a challenge in itself. So let me ponder this a bit longer. I do like to make plans and set goals. One thing I know I want to do this year is to exhibit some of my work in an art gallery. And I can check that off my list already! For the month of January, two of my watercolors are going to be on exhibit at City Lights Art Gallery in Henderson, Nevada. They’re part of a members challenge to create works of art that depict our neighborhood, The Water Street District. Here I am with a colorful one called “Rainbow on Water Street.” The reception for this exhibit was held last weekend. I must say, I do enjoy the company of fellow artists. One of my goals for the year should definitely be to engage more with this group of talented, inspiring painters. For me, and I imagine most painters, the biggest problem is facing a blank canvas. There are so many possibilities. What shall I paint today? Coming up with great subjects is definitely the most daunting task for me.
But an even bigger challenge for me is setting painting goals . . . then meeting them . . . and perhaps even questioning my motives for painting. Why do I do what I do? Do I want to continue doing it? The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to start filling in the blanks, answering those questions and establishing a plan for the year. First, let me review my performance for 2023. Did I reach ANY of my goals? During 2023, I planned to put in 330 hours of painting (actually, I only got in 241 hours); and I wanted to complete 150 paintings (I only made 119). But I exceeded my goals in every other area: I took six in-person art classes, and ten online courses. I participated in four art shows (made $926 in sales), entered three juried competitions (and won second place in one of them), and did three month- long series on FaceBook in which I posted daily (“Sunflowers” in February, “Skies” in April and “Trees” in August). I also wrote 52 blog posts. And I listed 62 original paintings in my art store on Fine Art America at www.fineartamerica.com/profiles7-terri-thompson So, I currently have 170 pieces of my artwork listed on Fine Art America. I guess I should take some satisfaction in my accomplishments in 2023, but I must admit, I burned myself out during the first nine months of the year. It took the joy out of painting and it’s taken me nearly three months to recover! I really do not want to stress and strive in 2024, so I’m changing my priorities. To answer my own questions: WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO? I paint not because I want or need to make money (although the few sales I make do help with covering the cost of expensive art supplies). I paint because it keeps me emotionally and intellectually stimulated. I paint because I feel I’m co-creating with God and the Holy Spirit. I paint because it brings joy to me and sometimes to others. DO I WANT TO CONTINUE DOING IT? Yes, as long as I possibly can! But this year, I’d like my focus to be on QUALITY rather than quantity, and during next week, I’ll be thinking about what I need to do to be a better painter So, tune in next Monday, when I reveal the plan for my painting life for the coming 12 months. It’s a new year and a time to take on some new challenges.
My first challenge of 2024 was initiated by City Lights Art Gallery (CLAG), where I’ve been a member for the past couple of years. Located at 3 E. Army Street in downtown Henderson, Nevada, CLAG is right off Water Street in an area known as the Henderson Water Street District. CLAG’s challenge to its members for the month of January is for each of us to give our own artistic view of our neighborhood. There are no size, medium, or color requirements. It just has to be a view of Water Street. So, early last month, about a dozen of us gathered at the gallery for a “Water Street Walk About.” Equipped with cameras and sketchbooks, we explored the area and bounced off ideas for our artwork. It was so much fun. Then we had the rest of the month to create our contribution to the exhibit. I challenged myself by painting a watercolor of a casino (above) and called it “Rainbow on Water Street.” It will be on display at the gallery for the entire month of January, and on January 13, we will celebrate the exhibit at a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. to which the public is invited. Meanwhile, for the rest of this week and perhaps into next week, I will be coming up with some more ways to challenge myself for the rest of the new year. Happy New Year! |
AuthorTerri Thompson is a journalist-turned-visual artist, who is on an "art journey" and exploring how to tell her stories through her watercolor and acrylic paintings and photographs. Categories |