![]() Now is the time of year, I sit back and evaluate the year that was. I look at what worked well, what needs improvement and plans for the following year. Reflection is a good thing. It allows us time to look back on the year that was and take stock of the intricacies of where we have been. As I sat and evaluated both my personal and professional journey, there were some moments of pure joy and moments of challenges. In 2024, hubby and I decided to bite the bullet and get some renovations completed at home. We had just lost our beautiful fur baby of almost 16 years. It seemed like the right time to get things done as now it was just the two of us to consider. We needed to completely empty the house for the workmen to come in and remove our old flooring and to lay new flooring. The garage and enclosed patio, also affectionately known as “Art in the Garden Room” were filled with the everything from the house. Along the way there were a few little hiccups, such as new toilets to be installed which we hadn’t planned. The dust was unbelievable as the tiles were jackhammered out. Thank goodness we had our caravan; this became our temporary home for five weeks. The flooring was finished, and the painters arrived to paint the inside of the house. They would return a few weeks later to complete the outside. It was all systems go. Hubby and I still had both of our businesses to keep going. As the enclosed patio was filled with our belongings, Creative Circle needed to be moved to another location for a term. The mid-year Open Studio was put on hold, with only the summer one being held. Looking back at my art business, I was pleased to see growth even with the renovations taking up a lot of bandwidth for a period of time. In 2024, I launched the free monthly pain outs. The first month was just three of us meeting up in a local park. Although, a very chilly morning, the sun was out, and we had a fabulous time. Since the first paint out more creatives are joining in as we venture to some of the beautiful locations in the City of Kingston. I have been fortunate enough to meet the most amazing creatives along the way and connect with wonderful people. I have entered several art shows and had my artwork accepted, sold a record number of artworks, and run over 100 classes each year and this is to increase in 2025. Taking stock of the year that was, now is the time to set up plans for the year that will be. Do you assess your year? Do you make plans for the following year? Leave your comments below. Featured Artwork: Unnamed - available in 2025
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![]() Recently, I ran my third open studio, giving people the opportunity to see where I work, how I work and my work in person. The first one I held in June 2023, was the rainiest day on record. There were still plenty of people through the doors, the tempting hot coffee and the heaters were a good enticement, sales were also better than I had expected. The second open studio was in November last year and I expanded it to include the Friday night with drinks and nibbles for my art class students. It was a great night and I had plenty of people through the door. The warmer weather lends itself well to having a preview night. Both times I did a SWAT analysis of the event and each time I made slight changes and adjustments to times, offering and set up. It made a big difference to look through my previous notes to see what worked, what needed tweaking and ways to improve. This year due to house renovations, I was only able to hold one open studio. Again, I ploughed through my notes from the previous two to make further adjustments. Whilst, the numbers were similar to previous open studios, it was highly successful. Introducing different price points, new products and lines proved to be a winning combination. Open studios are important for artists as they showcase the how, what, where and why of the art and art business. I don’t know about you, I love taking a peak behind the scenes. It gives you a glimpse into a world that is mostly obstructed from view. Wouldn’t you love to see how your local restaurant operates from receiving your order to the meal set in front of you? How about following the trail of a vial of your blood after a blood test? What if you could sit in the drivers area of the train from here to Melbourne and witness the intricacies of the drive on the tracks? Open studios give you that glimpse into the world of an artist. If you want to get notified of my next open studio, before to sign up for my newsletter in the pop up box, or use the contact form under contact and FAQ Do you like to take a peek behind the scenes? Leave your comment below. Featured Artwork: Symphony at Sunset - currently entered for an art show |
AuthorLee Cummins is a mixed media artist, workshop and art class facilitator. Archives
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