I’ve just looked back at 2018 art goals and I’m impressed with how many I’ve achieved. Some just by happenstance!
I am now teaching four private art classes, you can get more information on them here and sign up to my teaching/workshop email list here.
I didn’t quite enter a competition a month, but I did enter art exhibitions outside of my area. I didn’t make it into anything out of my local area, but I did exhibit locally and even sold a painting.
Sad to see this one go. I had such a great time at Staithes, even though this painting fought me every step of the way.
I have been working on improving my art, I can definitely see an improvement if I compare my work from 2017 to 2018, even including the wobbly start in January, as I stood at Blackhall Rocks with numb fingers using both hands to stop my equipment flying away.
This year I have committed to doing some form of art everyday. You can follow me on instagram @suzu192 for every late night, just finished work drawing. I will post the highlights here.
I achieved my goal of doing more Plein air painting. This was down to two things. 1) a seascape painting demonstration being booked. 2) I buddied up with my friend Sue and since we’d committed to meeting, we did get there eventually. 😉
I have upgraded my Plein air painting set up to a much lighter one, detailed post on that coming soon. I now have a Strada easel. I did this as I found I was struggling with the Mabef easel due to its weight and bulk, even with a small sack trolley. I was so jealous of people in Staithes who had a backpack with all their kit in. Staithes has a lot of stairs! And dragging it up the cliff path at Blackhall rocks was no joke.
Due to the demo I have also done a lot of preparation work. I have priced my work, based on size, framed and unframed. I have decided I like the branding effect of the same frame for all paintings. (Unless they’re on a round canvas….) I have also had to write an artists statement for an event coming up in March!
This coming year I would like to keep my blog updated more regularly. This fell to the wayside in 2018 as I began teaching pilates, and as a newly qualified instructor, the amount of time it took me to plan sessions meant I didn’t have as much time, or energy for the blog. I now have a repertoire I can fall back on, although I do still spend a lot of time researching new torture, er, I mean, ways to improve my clients health and well being.
Big goal for 2019 is to open my own Etsy shop. This was suggested to me by an artist I admire and respect, not just family members and friends, so that is the umph I have to do it. first steps: research.
I have started going to life drawing classes at Bearpark. it’s a forty minute drive and I get home at 10.30pm on a school night. But it has been very beneficial.
I still need to
- read my art books
- research branding and opening an online store
- open online store by august 2019
I have joined two online courses.
- the savvy painter growth studio with Antresse Wood
- capturing the light with Mary Bentz Gilkerson.
I have found them very beneficial. the savvy painter growth studio has been useful from a having someone to ask when I am not sure what to do: eg: pricing work, writing an artist statement etc. iv’e also had a critique with Antresse which has really helped me decide what direction to take my painting in.
I’ve found capturing the light really great as you get to paint along with Mary, and mix the colours with her, and hear her thoughts as she is painting. I need to crack on with that!
Susanna Heath 