Before we dive into today’s missive, I want to start by saying this: I believe that the universe conspires in our favor. I believe that serendipity is real. I believe our thoughts become things.
And. I also believe that none of that works if we don’t.
Whew, how’s that for a start?
Now, bear with me as I share with you why this is top of mind, and important for the year ahead.
For more than 25 years, I’ve successfully run an award-winning graphic design + branding firm as both owner and creative director. I’ve been able to help countless businesses across winemaking, tourism, manufacturing, nonprofits, and more create authentic, creative packaging + identities that bring both strategy and heart to the forefront.
And I’ve been able to do it in a place I love, the Finger Lakes of New York State.
Over the last seven of those years, I began to take my passion, plein air painting, much more seriously.
What sat on a shelf for so long got the dust blown off of it as I shifted my focus, worked with Lori Putnam as a mentor, and felt my dream become even stronger after a life-changing trip to the south of France.
And in a blur of activity, that brought me to 2023, a year that felt pivotal for my art.
It was the year I realized: Few can wait to be discovered. If I want to be accepted into larger galleries and invited to larger shows, it’s up to me to do the work to make that happen.
And so, with the help of Gina Ward and the team at Plein Air Magazine, I developed a marketing plan that helped me bring a higher intensity to the visibility of my art, introducing me to people and partnerships that have meant the world to my business.
I’m doing the work, and while it’s at times scary, vulnerable, and overwhelming, I know just how important it is.
I just finished an inspiring book, The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar, based on the true story of Johanna Bonger, Vincent van Gogh's sister-in-law. She inherited van Gogh’s paintings upon his death, which were worth nothing at the time, and she introduced them to the world, cultivating his legacy.
Next on my shelf is The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel, an important book that questions: How many women artists do you know? Who makes art history? Did women even work as artists before the twentieth century? And tells the stories of women artists who’ve overcome the odds to make their mark with art in this world — and have hardly received the recognition they deserve.
For centuries, women have propped male artists up, with their own work largely going unnoticed. It’s an undisputed fact that female artists have had more barriers to face.
And while we’ve made exponential strides leading up to today, it doesn’t change the fact that the work needs to be done, and we will likely always have to work just a little harder for it.
I say this from a place of excitement; of inspiration; of realism.
Don’t ever give up on your dreams. There may be bumps in the road, people who don’t agree with you, or those who say things that hurt.
Listen. Journal. Go to therapy. Whatever you do, don’t let it stop you. This world needs your art, your light, your legacy. And that can only come from you.
This year brings a fresh start, one in which I’ll be clearing out my online shop to make way for the new, one in which I’ll be traveling to Asheville to participate in PACE for the second year in a row, and one where I’ll be attending Art in the Open in Ireland, the largest plein air festival in Europe.
My dreams are bigger than ever, and with a devotion to the work on my end, the magic is yet to be revealed.
I can’t wait to hear what magic 2024 brings for you. Thanks for being on this ride with me. 💛