I have some wonderful news to share …
In January I was thrilled to win my first award.
for my painting
‘Winter shadows over the Lindis Pass’ 2020
1250 x 950mm ~ Watercolour on paper
Runner up award sponsored by Craig Myles, NZ Sothebys
I received a phone call telling me I'd been awarded runner-up in the Aspiring Art Prize and won $2000 which of course came as quite a surprise but it soon turned to absolute joy. My first reaction was ‘I should have gone to the opening night’ but to also be told the painting sold that night, well, that doubled my elation.
To receive this award at the very beginning of the year has made me feel immensely successful at what I have tired to craft for myself the last 6 years I've been an artist. Its the absolutely perfect way to start back in my studio after the summer break with pride and optimism for the year ahead.
paint more passion projects purely from inspiration outside of painting collections or commissions as ‘Winter shadows over the Lindis Pass' was created after a girls trip last May to Lake Ohau where my kind and patient girlfriends had to put up with my constant requests to stop for photos as I felt the harsh winter light and shadows seeping into me and fuelling my creativity. So with 2021 underway I have made it essential to have space in my calendar for monthly time to spend on passion projects. This way there will more often be inspiration carried forward into a painting instead of an idea that stays in my head.
I'll create another blog post in the coming months about my progress.
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'There is always hope' and 'What guides you'
The cold of winter can feel like a dark place, yet amidst the harsh daylight, it holds the potential for hope—if you are willing to see it.
‘Obstacles do not block the path, they are the path’
When you're worn out and feeling creatively blocked the last thing you think you will create is an exquisite large watercolour with the addition of a medium you have never used before.
‘On the other side of fear is freedom’
If we trust ourselves to see that within our fear of doing something new we will always find growth, no matter what the outcome.
2023 was my year for change and gosh did things change in my personal life and business. Not by chance either, I was very intentional about actioning this change. I decided on the word ‘Fearlessness’ to be my guide for the year so it would challenge me to try new things in my business. All of it worked. Yes, all of it, even the stuff that didn’t work.