Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Looking back at 2013

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow

This has been a remarkable for year for me.  I've experienced a lot of changes, and I realized as I was thinking about things this morning that much of the change has taken place in my own head.  It's been a year of introspection and reflecting on the past, and it has resulted in a lot of new understanding and growth. 

In some ways, because it's been a year of internal activity rather than outward processing, I feel like I've not got much to show for what I've accomplished this year.  The things that I've accomplished and am in the process of achieving aren't the things that show up in photos.  They are in my head and my heart and, I hope, in how I approach every day. 

Still, because I've enjoyed putting together a slide show of the year in pictures, when I sat down to see what I had pictures OF, I realized several significant things.  One is that I made huge strides in sketching and painting, and making that part of my daily life.  In fact, even though I didn't carry my camera around nearly as much as I have done in the past, I carried my sketchbook -- and I discovered in this slideshow process that my sketchbooks really have become a visual journal of what I have been doing.  Participating in some online painting classes from Jane LaFazio, Val Webb, Joanne Sharpe have inspired and taught me -- and painting daily for the "Every Day in May" challenge was a big piece of using painting to memorialize bits of daily life. 

It's also notable to me that although, for the most part, my family hates to have their pictures taken so I tend not to snap a lot of pictures of them, I do have sketches that remind me of family events that trigger wonderful memories for me.  Perhaps that's an incentive to learn to sketch people better during this coming year!

I also revived a long-held love for a looser (and messier) art journalling.  That has been a fun way to address some of the personal issues I've been thinking about.

So, all in all, it's been a good year.  Quiet, introspective, but really, solidly, good.  I didn't finish a lot of quilts, and did less sewing overall than I have in long time.  But I did a lot more painting, and a lot of reading, and a lot of time just enjoying being where I am right now. One of my goals for 2013 was to do something creative every day.   And I did.

I have faith that the coming year will bring peace and happiness.  I hope it does for you, too.  Happy New Year to you!
  
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11 comments :

  1. What a wonderful review of your year Diane.

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  2. LOVE YOUR SLIDESHOW, YOUR WORK AND YOUR QUILTING. LOOKS LIKE IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR! xo Sandy

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  3. You're the BEST! XO

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  4. Happy New Year Diane! May 2014 be a creative time for you!

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  5. Happy New Year Diane! I enjoyed your video so much! Your artwork is wonderful! The best to you in 2014!

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  6. I watched your video and loved it:) Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your sketch book with us. You are very talented. We went to Victoria this year as well. Took a bike trip to the San Juan Islands. Brought back sweet memories. happy new year.
    Janita

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  7. Enjoyed the slide show very much! You sketch beautifully.

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  8. Diane -- your journal is a wonderful reflection of life for the last year! I love your artwork. It's so cool to see that you used a Smash Book for a part of your work -- aren't they loads of fun?
    I'm so inspired by your work!
    Happy New Year!!
    Annie

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  9. Happy New Year to you Diane!

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  10. I feel as though I've watched you come into bloom this year, Diane! The journey with you has been such fun! I hope 2014 bring you more joy!

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  11. I am so far behind! I just found your year end post here. Wonderful slide show--I loved seeing ME! It reminded me of the totally lovely time we spent together! It all made me smile for you. Life is good.

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