For many, the year 2020 will long be remembered as a year of great uncertainty and upheaval. There were numerous fears and obstacles coming at us all rapid-fire, and I personally felt off-balance for most of the year. Just as I scrambled to gain a foothold in one area of my life, the rug got pulled out from under me in another. If I only looked at that scenario, I might have sunk into despair.
But I gotta tell ya, peeps, that last year went really well for my career as an artist in spite of the shut-down...or maybe because of it. You see, I've learned form experience that taking stock of what actually went right puts what went wrong into perspective in a way that only looking forward cannot. So I encourage you to go right now and get a piece of paper and a pen ready. I'm going to share my "What went right" list below. As you read it, you will most likely think of some things that went right for you, even if a lot went wrong. I truly hope you draw encouragement from that.
Here goes: (and this was only the art aspect of my life)
Taught fellow artists how to make painted rugs.
Was accepted into International Guild Of Realism (IGOR).
Produced some of the best work I've ever done.
Completed three commissioned pieces.
Got over (some of) my camera-shyness and made videos with my face actually in them.
A work of mine was accepted into a juried IGOR show in South Carolina.
Got to travel to my first out of town exhibit, stay at a luxury hotel, pick the brains of better artists than I, and enjoy an historic tour while celebrating 39 years with my best friend.
Got to see original artwork of one of my favorite artists up close.
Had my work featured in American Art Collector magazine.
Held a watermelon paint party in my back yard.
Organized a plein air playdate with 8 artist friends.
Wrote a coffee table book titled, "Plein Air Playdate."
Was juried into Oil Painters of America.
Painted, and was paid well for, more murals than in each of the past three years.
When I sat down with my journal this morning, as I do at the beginning of each new calendar year, I admit that I was dreading the task. I had no idea just how well things had gone in 2020 until I started jotting things down just a little while ago. What I thought was going to be a struggle turned into a delight as item after item appeared on paper. Some of the goals and choices I made early in 2020 helped propel me through those tough times. One of those choices was to keep doing my due diligence and trust my Creator with the results.
What will 2021 hold? I have no idea. My first resolve, though...
Keep doing the work before me and trust God with how it all turns out. So even if this year of 2021 holds even more challenges than 2020, even if I don't "succeed" in the ways most people define success, even if the world around me crumbles, I'm confident that there will still be things on my "What went right" list on this day one year from now.
Did you think of some things that went right for you last year? Please drop me an email. I'd love to hear.
A safe and Happy New Year to you and yours.
Jan
P.S. If you experienced a death in your family this year due to Covid, you may not feel quite ready to look at the bright side of things just yet. Please know that my heart and my prayers are with you.
