Happy New Year 2016 Musings

Happy New Year!  Wishing you and your family many blessings in 2016!

Romanesco cauliflowers dressed up with raspberries to make mini Christmas trees.

I hope you had a fabulous holiday season and were able to make and share many happy memories with family and friends.  I know I did.  In fact, today, taking down the Christmas decorations, it was with a bit of nostalgic sadness.  Some years, I am relieved to finally take down the decorations, open up the space, and get back to normal.  Back to business.  I would get frustrated over the holidays when my suppliers and contacts were out of their offices and closed for days on end.  Not this year.  This year, I embraced the holidays and didn't even try to do any business. 
 

Picture from 2014 - so far no snow this winter!

I seem to have amassed a small collection of deer ornaments and this year decorated my tree, albeit a small tree, exclusively with the deer. As I packed them up, I wanted to find a place to put them out on permanent display.  I also imagined how they would make lovely little paintings for the next Christmas season.  And how wonderful and special it will be when I unpack them next year.  And so I kept packing them up in their box for now.

I tend to look forward more than I look back.  This fall I took two online marketing classes now that I am finally on high speed internet and have learned so much!  My brain is still processing and absorbing all the information!  I am so excited about the possibilities of how to structure my art business to better serve my collectors and would be collectors.  I am also excited to expand the possibilities of art to create and places to travel to paint.  

For the past fifteen years I have traveled extensively throughout the USA to art shows to exhibit and sell my paintings.  I love doing the shows and will continue to do so this year and in future years.  But it is hard to get back to every city every year where I have collectors who want to see the newest and latest paintings.  And it is hard to combine painting on location and exhibiting in the shows in the same trip.  And the shows take a lot of time and energy away from painting.

I have a farm with animals and gardens back home and am not one of these vagabond artists who likes to leave home for weeks on end.  A week away from home is about my maximum although there are times I have been gone longer.  Truth be told, I am a homebody.  So I am hoping, as the future unfolds, I can increase the availability of my paintings to my collectors, both new and old, via the internet. 

I look forward with excitement to 2016 and hope all the best for you and your family!  Eat good, healthy, fresh, organic, raw fruits and vegetables, get out in nature, in the fresh air, detoxify your home(yeah, I mean all those aerosols, scented candles and plug ins, bug repellents, toxic cleaners, air fresheners, etc.), do what you love and love what you do!  Take time to pray, think, and meditate.  And, last but not least, spend time with good people, both family and friends. 

I appreciate your encouragement and support over the years and value your friendship.   I look forward to seeing you again in 2016 either in person or online.  Thanks so much!  

Cheers,

Charlene

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