Adios 2021

Adios 2021! Here are three things for which I am grateful. But before I share these three things, I want to welcome new readers here and describe the purpose of this post and blog. Okeedokee?

Small Spaces Special Places

Welcome new readers! Each year, I select a theme for my weekly paintings. This year’s is “Small Spaces Special Places.” Why? I have been surprised, even delighted, with the small spaces in our house that have captured my eye.

Also, there are the special places I see on my daily dog walks. Each morning, rain or shine, I love getting outdoors and looking for things to paint. Some weeks, we’re traveling in our camper. In either case, I start many of my paintings outdoors. Then I’ll finish them, usually from imagination, in my studio at home.

Anyway, if you are not subscribing to this blog yet and think you might enjoy a weekly dose of unique artwork with a dash of color and musings on life, sign up here. Let’s get to this week’s topic!

Ba-Bye 2021

Gotta say no matter who you are, what you believe in or what side of the world in which you live, I bet you, like me, are glad to say Adios 2021. Right? On so many levels this year has been a tough one, for all of us.

Even though the year has been a doozy, I want to share 3 things for which I am grateful. Somehow expressing gratitude seems to be the antidote for tough times. So are you ready? Here goes.

Adios 2021 – grateful thought #3

I am grateful for friends, old and new. This year I feel lucky to have met several new friends in the midst of this pandemic pandemonium. We met some new camping campadres who hail from Carrboro – hola Dave and Donna! And, I am also grateful to have met a local (walking distance) artist pal. She and I will share some exciting news in the weeks ahead in 2022.

Then there are the dear old friends, who have known me/us for years. And, through some kind of miracle, they still want to be our friends. Ha! Wouldn’t you agree, gentle reader, that friends are part of the antidote to this whacky world in which we live?

So I want to send out a special thank you, virtual hug and “good grief we made it this far” thought to anyone and everyone who is a friend. I have my fingers and toes crossed that face to face visits with friends become a regular event in 2022 sans any looming variants.

Bye Bye 2021 – here’s gratitude thought 2

Shazam I am grateful for my family. Each week I get to have a friendly, chatty Zoom call with my four fantastic sisters. Ya – we are family and I’m glad I’ve got my sisters with me…even if it is via Zoom. And, I am super grateful that they have remained safe throughout this pandemic. Their kids are bright shining lights in the universe and their kids’ kids are…well…amazing and adorable and each gives me hope for the future.

Since this blog post is arriving on December 30, my dearly departed brother’s birthday, I would be remiss if I did not mention him here. We finally got to gather to celebrate his life in October this year nearly a year after he died. It was a wonderful service and I am sending love and gratitude to his wife, kids and his dear friends, too, for making it all happen.

Speaking of family, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for Mr Studly. Through all of this, he is constantly scheming and dreaming up new projects. His latest? Check it out, he’s building a kayaking paddle for a friend. Oh and he’s teaching himself guitar, too. How cool is that?

Adios 2021 – here’s gratitude thought 1

Last but not least, I am grateful for what I am doing: painting. This is something I have wanted to do since I was a doodling, daydreaming kid. It’s the best job I have ever had in my life. It’s not that it’s easy. There are certainly challenges to face and problems to solve. But I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend my days.

This week I have been an absolute painting machine. I am sure part of it is pent up because of the time I took to prepare for the show I was in. Plus I had fun wrapping Christmas presents, sending off cards and getting our place decorated.

But shazam I have logged some serious painting hours this week. And, yet, I am not posting a whole lot on social media. Why? Oh good grief I just want to paint. But I also think I am going to spend my social media moments differently in 2022. I will share more about that next week along with a new theme for 2022.

Here’s a Snowy One

Here’s a snowy painting, in gouache, that I did this week. It’s kinda quirky. We have these super cute LED lit snowmen that have a USB cord so you can see them glow and change colors.

Adios 2021 – bonus

Here’s another bonus of something I am grateful for, you, gentle reader! Thank you for reading this post and blog. What about you? I hope you have some good things going on for which you are grateful. And, if so, please do share in the comments below. Happy New Year!