Hello friends! Woah, it's 2025. Let's just sit with that for a minute shall we? It's been a quarter century since Y2K. Whaaaaattttt the actual fudge? I was 22 in the year 2000, having a merry old time of it partying myself silly and living the debauched early 20's lifestyle we should all get to lead. I find it difficult to believe that 25 years have passed since then. It's terrifying if I think too hard about it, so let's not. Moving on...
The start of a New Year always brings with it the opportunity for reflection and I've been deep in that mode of thinking for the past several days, reassessing things in the studio and adjusting the direction of my practice. 2024 was a great year for me and I was able to put down some strong roots in regards to my practice here in Perth. I really got out there and showed my work in several group exhibitions whilst starting up workshops and having an open studio at the year's end. I am so pleased with how hard I worked and with the progress I made. I also found a community of creatives here which is the most wonderful thing. Art can be such a lonely pursuit if one doesn't find other creatives to talk to and bounce ideas around with. I am so thankful for the connections that have been made.
This year I intend to move forward in the same fashion as last year but now with more confidence. It is always difficult to do things for the first time and 2024 was full of vulnerability. I was plagued with doubts like, "What if I don't get into any shows I apply for? What if no-one signs up for my workshops? What if no-one comes to my open studio?" Ugh, I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about all the vulnerability I had to navigate last year. I'm sure those questions will always plague me, but my confidence was really boosted by the successes I experienced. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of rejections and failures too, but all I needed was for a few things to hit the mark and I was off and racing. This year I am feeling emboldened and I'm ready to dig deeper into the creative reserves to see what I can uncover...
First on the agenda for 2025 has been starting a YouTube vlog. I thought about it all of last year and never made any progress so I was having none of my hesitation or excuses this year. I put up my first video today and though it's pretty bad (lol) I have made a start and I'm so happy to have taken that one tentative first step - it's always the most difficult. Without further ado, here is my first ever vlog:
Yay! I did it! Haha. So, with the first video out of the way I have no excuses not to keep going. All going well my vlogging may take over from this blog, but I'll post all of my new videos here as new blog posts too so that there is an easy archive that can be accessed on my website. I love blogging and have done it for over a decade now (this blog I have had since 2017!) but it does seem a little old school and in order to keep current I think vlogging is the logical way ahead for me. I'm actually really excited about the possibilities and hope that regular vlogging will improve my confidence in discussing my work (I'm quite shy at heart).
So, here's to a New Year and to new pursuits. I hope you are all having a wonderful start to 2025! Many blessings to you and yours. Talk soon. xx
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