![]() 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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![]() For most of my working career, I worked remotely. Mostly the companies were located in different states making remote work the most appropriate way to function. In 2020, many workers were forced into remote working along with school children. To me, this was my normal way to operate, whereas, for many, it was a new and untested way to operate. With the onset of remote working, remote learning also escalated, particularly in areas not exposed to online learning. Artists that predominately held in-person classes were forced to embrace the world of online to be able to make ends meet and continue their business. Suddenly, artists and art classes from overseas we once earned to attend in person, were now in our bedrooms, home office or kitchen table. All of a sudden online classes became the norm and in-person classes were a distant memory. Of course, now we have the opportunity to enjoy both. Whilst online classes offer time flexibility as many are pre-recorded on-demand classes and individually paced, does it deliver on community, collaboration, physical art materials, demonstration and guidance? In-person, classes tend to require more time and financial investment into your development than a short online course. However, some fabulous online courses allow you to learn new techniques and genres with little financial investment. It comes down to how disciplined you are to see it through. I feel there is a place for both growing and expanding as an artist. I don't mind an online course here and there, but I do love attending in-person events and courses more, due to the connections, collaborations and personalised attention. Which do you prefer online or in-person classes or do you mix it up and use both? Featured artwork: Morning Walk |
AuthorLee Cummins is a mixed media artist, workshop and art class facilitator. Archives
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