New Year Wishes

A New Year - stretching ahead. Daunting? Inspirational? Full of promise? So many ways of looking at it and yes, it's all of those for me and perhaps you too?

On the first of January a friend asked me what my resolutions are. Oh goodness, I thought, I didn't have any - what are they?

Actually turns out it's more of the same. Painting comes to mind first because my delight in and obsession with it continues unabated.

But sometimes people think I'm big-headed because I love life so much, and so I want to say (or as our American friends say 'share') something.

We artists are notoriously sensitive and like nearly all the ones I know I too have to guard against real or imagined criticism. For the literally scores of lovely messages and reviews I receive from my buyers and collectors, it only takes one person to say they don't like a painting or even intimate it by not saying, to make me feel (because my work is me) spurned and dented.

It happens to all of us, though, doesn't it?

And we need to pick ourselves up instantly - or very, very soon - and remember the lovely things - whether it's about our work or any other aspect of our lives where people feel free to give their opinion - and remind ourselves that we do our best and our best is, mostly, good and sometimes - often - shines.

So my resolutions are

1. To keep enjoying painting with all my being. Learning, practising. Shining when I can. Being glad when a painting gives joy to someone who loves it and resonates with the magic of it.

2. To work for the work's sake. It's not about the money (that's a song isn't it - how true!) It's about showing up day by day and doing it. With love. Knowing the love and commitment will, somehow, ripple out into the world.

3. To see, every day, the beauty all around us. Not just in the obviously stunning like our countryside, flowers, animals, but in the small things of life like a kind word, a smile, a new opportunity.

4. To appreciate the lovely things that happen throughout the year.

5. To know that we will, somehow, cope with the not so good or even the tragedies that might happen.

We are strong, and when we're not - buffetted or even flailing - we will be given, somehow, the cope-ability.

6. To keep love and laughter and faith and hope and optimism and quiet, calm assurance in the ongoingness of them all.

I wish you a good New Year, full of blessings and the wisdom to enjoy them all to the full.

Every day. Because every day is a gift.

with love - and light - Jenny