10 things turning 10 this year

The bleakness of the weather and my personal life led me to hibernate for the winter. My hibernation entailed coming straight home after work to exercise, cook, and read. I saved my studio time for the weekends. When 2011 began, I was afraid to dream, and I didn't want to want anything anymore. Wanting things would only lead to disappointment.
 
(from Imperfect Things)

 

I'd rather not even bother looking back at 2020. I almost wrote a retrospective about it, but decided not to. Why dredge up so much misery? Instead, I'm looking back 10 years ago to 2011, a year that I began by deliberately setting no particular goals other than the aforementioned plan of self-imposed winter hibernation. Interestingly, I was able to accomplish a great deal in 2011, not by setting lofty goals for myself, but by just taking things a day at a time. And I think that hibernation period was good preparation for my current social distancing hermitage. Here are 10 things turning 10 this year, in no particular order:

 

1. My artist statement for Post-Consumerism  

2011 was when I finally came up with an artist statement about Post-Consumerism that I found satisfactory. Here's my blog post about it.

2. Verdant 

Verdant still reminds me of ripe avocados.

3. Fall in Love With Art

 

2011 was the year I had my very first Fall in Love with Art event at my studio for Valentine's Day. A serendipitous discovery of a beautiful Black Barbie doll wearing a dress covered in red lipstick kisses (while wandering the aisles at Target) inspired me to create a photo series showcasing miniature artwork with a Valentine's Day theme.

 

4. Ruby Horizon

 

My second commissioned painting, Ruby Horizon, was made for my cousin's home.

 

5. Weeping May Endure for a Night 

 The final painting of the Dark Night of the Soul series.

6. Mod Era Doll Project Photos

 2011 was when I started to extend the timeline of The Doll Project series.

 

7. Composition in Primaries 

 Composition in Primaries was my first multicolor Post-Consumerist painting.

 

8. Frozen Bride 

 A visual depiction of what being in a long engagement can feel like.

9. Flower Power Collage

 

I made this collage in the spring of 2011 when my outlook on life was improving. There's no blog post about it, but it is available in my Zazzle store on variety of products.

10. Cerulean Rhapsody

Cerulean Rhapsody is still my biggest painting, made from the box my easel was shipped in, inspired by the color of my laptop (which is also turning 10 this year!). 

Finally, here's something turning 5 this year: my young adult novel, A Bitter Pill to Swallow. I published the final version January 20th, 2016. 

 

 

Looking back at 2011 helps me as I look forward in 2021. And hopefully this year will be better for all of us.