Well, for me, because of the rush and madness of my day job this year, I feel like my Holiday season was far, far too short. I decorated on Christmas Eve. That may sound like some of the carols you've heard out there (probably on repeat), but, for me, there was just too much going on to have it be otherwise! Oddly, as an artist, there are phases of the year ingrained in my head. They run a bit like this:
Jan-Feb-March: Regular painting and improvement
April: Same, with prep work for painting a lot of water
May: Start of #Mermay art movement
Jun-Jul-Aug: Regular painting and improvement
Sept: Same, with a lot of prep work for the art explosion that is October
Oct: #Inktober, the massive 31 drawings in 31 days challenge
Nov-Dec: Prep work for winter paintings / possible 7-days till Solstice paintings
That time is dusted with art shows, which I've been doing less of in 2020 than ever before, in fact. I'm not sure how that will be, or if it will recover, in 2021.
I drag you readerly types through this because, oddly enough, in January, my brain is predisposed to missing May. Specifically, #mermay. I'm an artist in the pop-surrealist / new-contemporary art movement, so, it's almost legally bound to happen! But this year? Nope. I'm missing October more than anything. The opening ceremonies to my most favourite times of the year -- the joys of Samhain / Halloween, American Thanksgiving, and the Solstice / Christmas season that is my very favourite thing (I have never been a humbugger)! So, in keeping with that, I dug out the Arteza watercolour sketchbook I've been using for #Inktober, put gesso on the cover, and... painted it to symbolize what October is to me.
Fig. A wee little light as the night gets colder & longer, and the end of the year closes in.
What about you? Missing anything as the long days of January, roll out before you? Are you still a little worn out and depleted from the holiday season? I know I am! But! I'm pretty good at bouncing back!
