January check in . . .

how're those 2025 goals going? 🥴

From here on, the new year starts in February.

I don’t know about you, but this year has felt . . . noisy. It feels as if the moment I recovered from the holiday hangover we were knee-deep in a new presidential term and my ability to focus was completely derailed.

Honestly, I am so thankful for art in times like these. Art gives me purpose and inspires me to create things that are joyful and beautiful. When times are good, painting feels like a luxury, when times are tough it is my duty.

And it is a duty I am happy to fulfill.

Lunar Mountains in 5”x7” is available in my Etsy Shop

Goal of 2025: Connection

While building deeper connections with my community was not my primary goal for 2025, it was an important one. I spent so much of 2024 cooped up in my apartment, attempting to wrap my mind around the concept for my budding art business. Read: spent most the year in a fog of analysis paralysis.

Emerging from this past year I feel so much clearer on where I want to go, what to focus on, and how best to create a business that serves my artistic mission.

I have learned that, despite my previously held beliefs, I do need community. I may even go as far as to say I need community desperately. While I identify as an introvert and find alone time restorative and essential for my well-being, I loooove being surrounded by dreamers and creative types - I had just forgotten what it felt like to be tapped into that community.

Introducing: Book Club

The first book club meeting!

I don’t think my soul truly knew how much I needed book club.

I have always been one of those weirdos (not my words) who would much rather read a book than watch a show or see a movie. While there is currently a television hanging in my apartment, it doesn’t work. I haven’t had a working television since college, and I prefer it that way.

I still watch videos on YouTube, and doom-scroll through facebook and instagram, but my perfect night will always be an early bedtime and a good book . . . although often the good book defeats the attempt at an early bedtime. Again, just how I like it.

A few years ago, on a family trip to Disney World in Florida, my niece snapped this photo of my sister, mom, and I after a fun-filled day on the beach:

Three women, all finding a little peace & a whole bunch of R&R in the pages of a book. A perfect vacation.

Recently, I shared an idea on my instagram page:

“Does anyone wanna like . . . I dunno . . . start a book club?”

Wow, the response! Within a few days I had an email list of 12 women all eager to gather with each other and talk about books. Not petty small talk, not politics: books.

So, while my other 2025 goals might still be waiting to launch, this one: “Read more books, create more community” is officially off the ground!

Connecting with Community

I realize that creating a book club is not the most plausible plan for all of us, and still I would encourage you: connect with your community, you may be surprised at how restorative it is.

Some ideas:

• Treat yourself to a latte from a neighborhood coffee shop, learn the name of the barista, ask them how they’re doing

• Introduce yourself to someone you see every day but haven’t formally met. Smile, tell them hello, repeat.

• Pick literally anyone in your life, think about something you love about them, tell them.

We have so much more power than we realize to create community and safe spaces. Even when the world can feel like an actual dumpster fire, we are the remedy. I truly do believe that.

Sooo, art?

Geeeez. it’s like you haven’t even been listening ;)

JK, I love you, more art updates coming next week . . . promise ❤️

And, for those that are curious, book club just finished reading Out Here by Carolyn Highland and our next book (which I’m sooooo excited about) is Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao.

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