Many people have New Year’s resolutions and I’m no different, but for me they’re a little more special, since it’s my birthday, too and they become my birthday wishes as well. Making resolutions, writing them down and letting others know what the resolutions are, help me to stay the course during the year.

Big Thanks and shout out to Maria Brophy for giving me a little help in my artistic resolution department.

FIVE NEW YEAR ART/ARTIST RESOLUTIONS:

1.) I RESOLVE TO PROMOTE MYSELF SHAMELESSLY. I will always have photos of my work with me to show to people I meet. I will introduce myself as an artist, and I will have a business card ready to hand out and make it easy for people to remember me and what I do.

2.) I RESOLVE TO CULTIVATE A GREAT WEBSITE. I will love it and nurture it and keep it updated weekly. My site will clearly demonstrate what I do and how to reach me.

3.) I RESOLVE TO CONTINUE OPERATING WITH COMPLETE INTEGRITY. I will DO WHAT I say I am going to do, WHEN I say I’m going to do it, 100% of the time. I HAVE earn a reputation for being reliable and upfront, and dependable. I HAVE become the person that people come to because not only do they love my art, they trust me and can count on me.

4.) I RESOLVE TO CONTINUE EDUCATING MYSELF IN THE BUSINESS OF ART. I will read at least 3 new books this year on marketing art, selling art, the business of art, etc. and learn new, better ways of doing things.

5.) I RESOLVE TO CONTINUE CONNECTING WITH OTHERS AND SHARE INFORMATION. I will spend more time with other creative people, sharing information and ideas and exchanging pricing strategies, tips on techniques, and anything else that will help a fellow artist (and myself) be more successful. I will be generous with my time and information. I will come to believe that the success of others only helps with my success, and vice-versa.

Most of all I will continue to love and support my family, whom give me the greatest joy of all.

May everyone be blessed in the coming year, when one door closes on you, may another open at the same time.

In peace.

Happy New Year & Peace to everyone!

Rummaging through my big tote bag yielded a Christmas catalog, a six-inch ruler, scissors, a couple of pieces of watercolor paper, my KOI pocket field sketch box with water brush, a glue stick, micro-pen, and a graphite pencil.  I knew today was the only time I was going to have a small chunk of time to do an illustration for the prompt for Illustration Friday, the word for this week is “hatch”.

Honestly, with the holidays around the corner, and everywhere you look you see festive houses, streets and stores, the festivity has a way of imprinting itself on your mind! And the IF prompt, for me anyway, only flashed pictures of eggs, hatchback cars and spring.

So here it is, an illustration for “Hatch”!

I hope that everyone’s creativity and ideas hatch into some wonderful real life scenarios for 2010.

Peace to you all.