Three words for 2011, First of the Year Everglades painting by Jo-Ann Sanborn

First of the Year, 2010, Jo-Ann Sanborn

Acrylic on canvas, 16"x20"

Starting off the New Year and prompted by Chris Brogan's post, I've chosen three words to help guide me in 2011.  It's a great exercise if you haven't tried it.  I'll put my words above my desk, and in the studio, too, as a reminder of what's important to me in 2011.

After some thought (and putting off patience, also needing much work) my first word is LOVE.  Not everyone gets enough, and it's a good thing to spread more around.  Sometimes I get so caught up in all the things that have to be done, important and not, it may seem I come up little short in the love department.  It will be a good reminder for me to love first, and to be reminded that everything else comes second.  Everything!

The second word to help guide me this year will be FOCUS.  It's been a busy year with some unexpected and sometimes difficult demands on my time.  It's easy to lose focus and not follow through in the way I have come to expect of myself.  Focus is especially important to an artist, and focus needs to be recognized as important to me.  If I don't have the time or interest to really focus, it's probably something I don't need to be doing. 

GROWTH is my third word. Sometimes I get myself into a holding pattern, or box myself in with commitments.  This leaves no room for growth.  If I leave enough room to breath perhaps there will be room for growth, as an artist, as a person, and in my garden, too.

Just a reminder that my Color Confidence class starts tomorrow at the Art League of Marco Island!  We'll cover color mixing, color values, color temperature and color harmony.  Come along! 

Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, Everglades painting by Jo-Ann Sanborn

Today's Everglades painting is a make-over, or "new life" paining, done from one that's been around the studio for a while and never quite satisfied me.  As I began to reassess the problems and work on it, the painting developed a life of it's own.  Now it's cheery and inviting, with some great reflections.  All this happening while my mind was elsewhere.  Go figure!

This year late on December 21 the earth's axis will stop moving away from the sun and stop, and a second later will start back in the other direction towards the sun.  This marks a change from growing long dark nights to shorter nights and longer days.  The Winter Solstice is the time of year that marks the earth's farthest point from the sun.

Various cultures around the world celebrate this event.  The Winter Solstice starts the Celtic calendar, and Bronze age sites such as Stonehenge and Newgrange are set up to mark sunset and sunrise (respectively) of the Winter Solstice at their sites. 

Although there will still be much cold, January's growing light and warming earth will start a new cycle of growth in the Northern hemisphere.  In  the Everglades, it's the height of the dry season.  Animals will concentrate where there's a little water, and the only plants to survive will be those adapted to dry conditions. 

The Winter Solstice is close to the Christian Christmas, a time of joy and celebration of family and friends, and soon after the New Year will prompt us to look ahead, make positive changes, and to renew our commitments to ourselves and to others.

Between Christmas and New Years  I usually take a little time off, and I'll be starting a little early this year.  I wish you and your family a perfect mix of the sparkle of Christmas, the joy of giving and a big dose of unexpected love.   Merry Christmas and if you celebrate another Holiday this time of year, Merry that, too.

In the New Year I'll share my intentions for 2010, tell you how I did, and set up some new intentions for 2011.

Goals and Resolutions, Happy in Crowds daily painting by artist JoAnn Sanborn

Happy in Crowds

5x7 acrylic on board

$150

Now that the holidays are past, it's time to begin working toward the year's goals. Setting goals, with completion times attached, is the best way for me to get something done.

I'm going to paint a large painting every month. I want to take at least one painting class this year, visit more museum shows, finish cataloging my paintings, improve my newsletter, and thank people who help me weekly. I'm grateful for my online friends, art and otherwise, and want to do a better job of connecting online.

As I thought about the coming year, I believe that most people expect it to be better than the last few years. But what does that actually mean? More access to money? Better jobs? New houses? That we'll go back to times before the last decade? The reality is that times change in ways we can't foresee.

So, I'm going to try to keep an open mind in 2010. Look at new things without prejudice and maybe try a few. We can move along with the tidal swell of the future, or we can look back, digging our feet in the sand. If we do, we're left behind.

Fresh Start, Daily Painting by Everglades artist JoAnn Sanborn

The Rocks, Gloucester

20x24, acrylic on canvas

Happy New Year to you and yours! New morning, new day, new year! May you dwell on your dreams to fullfillment in 2010! 2009 was a tough year in many ways, but there were a few high points to treasure. Still, I'm ready for a fresh start. How about you?

Today's painting was done as a gift and sent just before Christmas. An overdue commission was finished and delivered on Wednesday. You can read my January newsletter here. Interested in learning more about painting with acrylics? My class starts January 5th at the Marco Island Center for the Arts. Phew! Still busy! Guess that's a good thing.

New Year, Shades of Winter Daily Painting by Everglades Artist JoAnn Sanborn

Shades of Winter 5x7

Sold

I love the fresh start of a New Year! How does the New Year look to you?

If you take the time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished during the past year, you may find that the list is longer than you think. Focus on the things that you did—changes you made, skills that you learned, marketing techniques that you tried, new techniques that you learned, collectors you’ve met, paintings you’ve sold. Are there some things that you didn't get done? Are they still important to you?

Now look ahead to 2009. Days will pass and months will go by despite our gloomy economic outlook. Will you be filled with paralyzing fear of the unknown or are you hopeful for the future? What can you accomplish in the year ahead? Make a list and include the small steps necessary to make it happen. Add a couple of “stretching things." Stretching things are the things that scare you, but are great for good personal growth.

It may turn out to be a better year than we expect. Be ready! By the way, all your resolutions don’t have to be artsy. I’ve looked at my last year’s resolutions and I’m off to call my sister! Have a wonderful 2009!