Looking Back, Looking Forward, and Appreciating Right Now.

Happy Almost New Year, friends! Just want to say, I will resume the normal newsletter later this month but thought an end-of-year recap seemed more fitting. I won’t be offended if you skip this since it’s pretty self-involved, but maybe there’s some nuggets of inspiration to be found in the mix.

There’s a lot to learn by taking time to reflect on the past 365 days, whether we find it enjoyable or not. Like a lot of people, for me 2025 was a mental rollercoaster from Hell that seemed to do nothing but drop steeply and continuously into the abyss, so I’ll be happy to bid it adieu. However, this post won’t be about despair and hopelessness. Despite the terrible, there were definitely bright and sparkly moments to weave in with the rest.

FAMILY

Well…*wince*, not to intentionally start out on a down note, but personally the worst and biggest event for our family in 2025 was saying goodbye to our beloved cat, Cuda. He struggled for months with advanced kidney disease, and we gave him the best that we could offer. We miss his eerily baby-like yowls, mischievous yet innocent wide eyes, and roaring purrs.

His other half, Carrot, has learned to tolerate and on rare occasions appreciate her canine siblings, and we are slowly finding a new normal.

You were promised a rollercoaster, so what’s next? Hawaii, obviously! Immediately after saying goodbye to Cuda, Jon and I were thrust onto a plane (sobbing) to the first vacation we had together out of California in nearly a decade in Hawaii. Yay? Worst timing ever.

Were our faces swollen for half the trip from tears? Yes. Did we cry every time we saw a cat sculpture, sticker or toy? Also, yes. BUT we did get to see whales jumping in the sunset, which was a nice bucket list item to check off.

ART

While the fine art life was difficult to balance with a full time job that started in February, there were several accomplishments and fun things that happened.

Like this World Market art licensing gig! I was/am so giddy about having my work in the store, and so many of you went out to show the love by purchasing this print. It looks like they’ve all sold out. Thank you all so much~ Let’s hope they ask for more!

Being on the cover of Rattle, a poetry publication, was really cool as well. I just love how it turned out, and they were a dream to work with. 10/10!

And never have I ever believed I would be on a billboard. Sure, it was obstructed by a large building - but it was still very cool! Thanks Paint Grand Traverse for that feature.

FRIENDS

One of the best parts about 2025 was that we made many new friends, thanks to my friendly and confident golden retriever husband. He has befriended just about everyone in the pottery studio (possibly some against their will), and now the gym we both go to. If you’re a new friend reading this, we are so thankful to have you in our lives!

Golden Retriever

painting with friend Kristian Matthews

teaching our friend Franklin Lei to throw on the wheel

Sidney hanging with the girls

We also made a point to spend time with more of our “old” friends IRL vs over social media or screens. Highly recommend it.

WORK

One of the biggest changes in my day-to-day life was landing a full time job. The fine art had to take a back seat, and in August I reluctantly and sadly left the pottery studio. It was a difficult decision, but financially made the most sense. There’s just not enough time in the day, nor space in the house!

Some of the last pottery I worked on (Jon glazed them for me)

Despite the busier schedule, I still manage to get out a few times a week in the very early mornings for a good sunrise painting. This year I painted over 40 morning meditations!

TRAVEL

The two big trips this year were back in the Midwest for Paint Grand Traverse in Traverse City, Michigan and the Door County Plein Air Festival in Door County, Wisconsin. I’ve returned to both of these events for several years now, and they are both outstanding.

Traverse City was a blast, as usual, but this time I got to bring along Jon! He hadn’t been to Michigan in over 8 years since our wedding, so it was a treat to show him the area when it isn’t in a snowstorm…at night. We skipped stones in Lake Michigan, tried broasted chicken, and had long dinner conversations with friends and family. He was the perfect painting sidekick, and made the trip extra fun. You’ll find him on more of these plein-air trips this year!

Paintings from Paint Grand Traverse

Next up was Door County, where my mom was my partner in crime. Can I just say, I am so lucky and grateful to have her company at these events, and we have really gotten this Door County stuff down pat. It was a beautiful time of year, and almost all of my paintings sold! Only left with a couple at the end of the day.

HEALTH

Talking about health and fitness always feels like a sensitive subject in the art world, as if sports and art are like water to oil. But to me it’s not all about looks — as an aging woman it’s more important than ever to build muscle, including our hearts, and work on things like agility and balance. NOW is the time! Also, it’s never too late. I know some of you reading this need to hear that.

This year, Jon and I joined a new gym. We lift heavier weights, and it’s been great finding a new community of supportive and dedicated people. The best part? Not struggling or needing help with lifting heavy things or helping to move furniture. It’s a surprising confidence booster.

This photo is from @everfitmotion on instagram when I first started

THINGS TO FOCUS ON

In 2026 I’ll be focusing on several things, but here are some particular areas of interest.

Experiment More - Having a full time job can sometimes feel so limiting, but maybe I just need to start looking at the bright side. After all, now is the best time to break loose and try new things! Being less dependent on my paintings financially means it is a great opportunity to explore and push boundaries.

More In-Person Connections - In a world full of screens and AI, in-person connections are more meaningful and important than ever. Not only for art, but just for life in general. So many incredible humans are crossing our paths every day, each person filled with incredible stories and fascinating lives. Let’s tap into this and start reaching out to each other. Also, this is coming from an intensely introverted person, so that’s saying something.

Less Tech Dependence - Jon and I have already started deconstructing and reverting back to old tech for a lot of things. If you visit our home, you’ll probably notice piles of DVDs, CDs and random music players scattered around. I want to take it even further by reading more books this year and spending even fewer precious minutes (okay, hours) in front of retina burning screens. The bonus is that it’s a weird relief to not have a million things hooked up to bluetooth or wifi.

Travel - It’s been decades since I’ve left this country, and I hope 2026 is when that changes. This year I want to travel more, visit more friends, and just GET OUT OF CONCORD. Stay tuned for some paintings with new scenery!

That was a lot, I know. You’re a champ for making it to the end. Respect. *nod of approval*

All in all, 2025 had a lot of ups and downs, and I’m looking forward to see what things 2026 has to bring us. It can only go up from here, right? Wishing you all a happy, peaceful, and lovely new year!