I opened the month of December by attending the reception of “Tesoros Pequeños,” an art show I was accepted into at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery in Tucson. Because the theme was small and precious works of art, I made some “icons” featuring desert rarities, complete with copper halos. I wasn’t completely sure how successfully I thought that they turned out, but it was an attempt at something different, which I need to push myself to do more often. I ended up selling one of the pieces and I hope its new owner loves it - it was definitely my favorite of the three. The other two are now up for sale in my online shop.

I changed up my style and technique for some other pieces I created in December, too (specifically, “Sunset over Sombrero Peak” and “Sibling Rivalry”). I feel like I’m in a bit of a “searching” stage, trying to figure out what direction I would like my art to go next. I have a tendency to default to realism, and need to push myself to explore other approaches. I also feel I want to explore some different subject matter and color schemes.

Towards the end of the month, we had a holiday potluck for my art class. Larry Wollam, my drawing and painting instructor throughout 2018, hosts this event annually. It was a lot of fun to see people from my drawing class who I hadn’t seen since transitioning to Larry’s painting class. I’m missing Larry already as our classes are currently on hiatus until approximately March due to an impending surgery he was facing. I hope all goes well and he is on the mend quickly. He certainly taught me so much in 2018 and was a big part of making the year a success for me artistically. What luck that the classes were right around the corner from where we live.

I created some commissioned pieces for the holidays for my friend Heather, and I also created some pieces to give to my family for Christmas. These types of projects are especially difficult because of the expectations that come along with them, but they are also a good opportunity to challenge myself and be a part of someone’s special moment. I hope everyone loves their creations for years to come.

I also did some hiking in December, enjoying the beautiful, mostly mid-60’s weather in Tucson. This is definitely the time of year to live in the desert. I hiked the Finger Rock Trail on Christmas Day. It was a gorgeous way to spend the holiday and made me feel less lonely since Aaron ended up having to go to Mexicali for work. A couple of days later, I spent some time hiking along the international border at Ramsey Canyon Preserve and Coronado National Memorial with my new friend Ursula, who is also an artist and nature lover.

My friend Kalisha came down to visit from Tempe for New Year’s Eve, and we had a wonderful time catching up while painting pottery. Our pieces both turned out really fun, and it was so nice to see her. It had been far too long.

I’m looking forward to seeing where 2019 takes me and my art. As gorgeous as it is here, I’m definitely itching for some different scenery to help inspire and expand my artistic horizons. Happy New Year to you, wherever you are and whatever it holds for you. Make it great!

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