Stepping Forward

...in my new boots! How do you like them? Aren't they great? They're quite colorful for me (I usually opt for practical brown) and were a bit of a Christmas splurge, but they're warm and sturdy, pull on easily, and keep my feet dry in wet weather (all the snow we had last week has been melting into slushy puddles and mud). They're perfect for outdoor time with the dog.

But I also have to take an artistic step forward and formulate a goal or theme for the year. My 2009 theme was "Balance" and last year I tried "Play." I still intend to keep those in mind this year. I have so many things I want to accomplish and directions I could go in, but they all really hinge on one thing: creating more art. I want to open an ETSY shop, but I need more inventory. I want to gather a portfolio to present to some galleries, but I need more samples. I want to submit to some shows, but... well, I think you get the idea. What I really need is to buckle down and create! I feel I squeeze as much into each day as I possibly can. I've examined my schedule and streamlined household chores and errands, delegated as much as possible, and made efficiency my mantra. I'll continue to do the best I can with the time and resources I have, keeping in mind the balance I need to strike between my family, my job, and creating art.

But two things I would like to keep in mind as I create and balance and play are courage and confidence. Rather than immediately dismissing the idea of entering a show because I don't think I have anything appropriate to submit, I will try to summon the confidence and courage I need to look over my portfolio and consider the possibilities. If I do find something that might qualify for a show, I'll again summon the confidence and courage to maybe submit it. I don't want to promise that I'll commit to entering two or three shows this year, but I'll begin to think of it more seriously, with more confidence and courage. On that note, I'm going to end this post to go check out the details for a show titled "Made in NY" (at the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn NY) that someone forwarded to the FANE group. Maybe I do have something I can submit, and since the deadline is the 15th (same as the Sketchbook Project!) I'd better get a move on!