Manage my time better - far too much is spent on the internet, which is perfectly enthralling, but it doesn’t get any sketching or painting done. Walking and being fit makes me feel good, positive and energetic, so I hope to do more of that even than last year - the friendly and supportive Sketchercise group is a great encourager to keep going, or start again if I’ve had a lapse.
Do what I love, love what I do - I am becoming aware after all these years that my passion lies in watercolour - I’m not about to throw out all other mediums, but I would like to focus on getting better at this one. I am also so enjoying sketching, the quick, immediate and spontaneous act which I’d never really considered an art form in its own right until I was exposed to wonderful work on Urban Sketchers, Sketchercisers and of course the blogs of prolific and expert sketchers. I want to get better, freer, more expressive!
Paint more Real Paintings - I haven’t made many finished, presentable artworks of late. I was contemplating vowing to produce 50 paintings during 2010, but that makes me anxious, so I gently plan to have some sort of a body of work by the end of the year.
Find a group of like-minded souls who will join me plein-airing, or urban sketching, or both. I want some flesh-and-bone companions for safety in numbers, sharing of ideas and expertise, and - especially for urban sketching - a wider variety of viewpoints and experiences of Joburg than my own limited ones. This is the hardest on the list - it entails phonecalls, arrangements and organisation - all my worst things!
I was considering a shake-up of my blog, focus it, refine it, but I know now from experience that vows to do this or that go clear out of my head within hours of making them, so I guess it will stumble along as usual - blogging friends called it a Graphic Novel of my Life - that could be a theme I could hang my hat on! Thanks to all who take the time to come and look. Onward and Upward to you all!!
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17 comments:
LOL at you head-first into the computer, Cathy. If I were making resolutions, I would certainly have to top the list with 'turn off the computer', that's why I'm not making resolutions!
You don't need to change your blog -it's working beautifully. I do hope you can gather your sketching group together soon.
You have a lot of plans for 2010. I particularly like "Do what I love, love what I do." That's the ultimate goal for me. Wishing you happy painting in 2010 and hoping you realize all or most of your plans.
Jean
I understand the need to prise yourself away from the Infernalnet,but I for one, would miss your lovely sketches.
Health and happiness to you!
w v is cardbag -very apt as I like to carry blank cards in my bag for quick sketches!
I am so lucky for when I go north in the summer all that organizing is done for me! You need to find an art league that loves en plein air!!! I just get an email and it tells me where to be and when every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Voila. I plug that into my GPS and throw my paints in the car and off I go. Then we go out to lunch!
Don't change a thing about your blog - I just love the 'slices of SA life' that you continually remind us of! And if you're ever in CT on a Tuesday am, you are so welcome to join the plein airheads group!
I just LOVE your 'plans' Cathy, I could use all of them! Don't know what changes you were thinking of implementing on your blog, but it really is nice as it is. And I don't know how you will manage, but PLEASE don't give up your wonderful little sketches of daily life - they're exquisite and inspiring!
Thanks Robyn - that's why I didn't call them resolutions... I am inexorably drawn to the computer, but have to find some sort of a rule to limit it before that cartoon becomes reality!
That is the crux of it, isn't it Jean? Everything else is a means to that end. Happy painting to you too!
Thank you...after a little investigation I think its Dinah..? just trying to make more time to sketch and tighten up on the web-cruising!
Ginny, you are lucky - I hope to come across a whizz organiser and slot into their plans. Your system sounds great - especially lunch;-)
Thanks so much Liz - I'd love to take you up on that some day!
Hi Maree! We posted at the same time again... no, I won't give those up - as I say, the blog will bumble along as usual - if we (the not-yet-existent group) plein air near Tarlton ever, will give you a call!
Hello,
I love your works and your original blog
Oh Cathy, I so understand your longings and your trepidations and I wish like anything I could join your sketchgroup! What's a few thousand miles between friends? ;D. Your blog has been such a source of pleasure for me for the past 3 years. Your style is unique, accomplished, witty. I know you will carry on and I know you will do it with your usual grace and intelligence and great talent!
Looking forward to another year of being on a parallel path with you!
Xoxo,
Laura
Happy 2010 Cathy.
Great "plans". I also spend far to long on internet, few finished pieces, and on using mediums not my passion... I think I will steal all your resolutions for myself :D
I look forward to seeing your results here.
Sue
Doing what you love and loving what you do -- the perfect plan. My good wishes for you in 2010 include the formation of a group of like-minded artists -- I mean right there in Joburg, in addition to the enthusiastic crowd of us on the parallel paths Laura mentioned.
Sounds like a fun filled year to come. Hope all you plan works out especially as it is so great to work outdoors with others. Please don't give up on your urban sketches to find time for full blown works, they are so spontaneous and alive and give us all a sense of being there with you in your wonderful country. Clive has Cape Town cricket on the box this very moment and it is so S-U-N-N-Y and warm.
Thanks Masmoulin!
Laura - never underestimate the value I put on your companionship, support and inspiration, what indeed is a few thousand miles? I so appreciate your friendship and without it I wouldn't still be here doing this! Thank you so much.
Good, Sue, I hope they work for us both! Happy painting!
Charlene, as to Laura, my parallel groups and friends are of huge importance and have made all the difference to my life and art. Thanks for your good wishes - may your year be filled with good things too.
Joan - I love urban sketching and won't stop, Clive must be very happy with his team (which I presume is England!?) they're clobbering us. Doesn't Cape Town look glorious?
Cathy, your sketchbooks are a body of work! I just saw a lovely watercolor show locally and I was enthralled with the sketchbooks (just 3 of them by 3 different artists). They had copied each page, put them in a binder in plastic and you could slowly linger over every page! Wonderful stuff.
Hi Cathy
I've finally posted my resolutions here...
http://artofanomad.blogspot.com/2010/01/art-based-resolutions.html
Keep up the work, I love your watercolours.
Sue
Good luck cathy...you have inspirational resolutions/ideas/goals...some of them resonationg here on my side in France too. I will continue dropping by here to get my quota of inispiration...have a great year!
Ronelel
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