Skip to main content

NEW PAINTING Anim

 

Anim, 24"x30", acrylic on panel, private collection (thank you!). Prints and other items featuring her likeness can be purchased here. Inquiries are always welcome. 

can you believe it's December?


I sure can't. 

Past Decembers were a blur. Back when I did commissioned portraiture (via PaintingaDogaDay.com), my holiday rush began as early as September 1st with a small pet portrait done daily up until mid December. Some days I would complete 2. By the time I got all the work shipped off, I had two weeks to focus on our own festivities which also included two of our children's birthdays. And I was utterly exhausted.

Last year was my first holiday in 20+ where I didn't have any commissioned portraits. While I missed the engagement with collectors and all the sweet little faces on my easel, I absolutely loved being able to whole heartedly focus on celebrating with my family for the entirety of the season. Being able to plan, anticipate and be fully present for all the little things leading up to the holiday was priceless. It was also bittersweet. 

This year is a little odd. It doesn't "feel" like my past Decembers in that I am still finding a new routine with regards to my work-life balance. We also are empty nesters, so much of the hustle has bustled off to other households. I am settling into this quieter phase with an open heart.

The holidays are not easy for everyone, for many different reasons. I have had my own share of challenging ones not merely related to job-related issues. Life is complicated and not always glittery.

Please know that if you are not up to the unrealistic expectations society places on this month of supposed merriment, you are not alone. Give yourself permission to feel what you are feeling without guilt or shame. And don't be afraid to say no if it means you will ultimately feel better as a result. 

The only person you should be concerned about disappointing is yourself.

Thanks so much for following along with - and supporting - my art journey, warmly, Kim
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dear Copyright Thieves

Dear Copyright Thieves,   Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's free for the taking. So let's just stop pretending the internet is a free-for-all.   Don't play the card that you didn't know - that's insulting. And don't also tell me that you meant to follow up and get permission but never got a chance to. That's insulting too. And by the way, don't you have a copyright protection notice on your own site?   And don't even try and point the finger at a third party who commissioned you to make a copy of my painting - again, an insult - you and I both know the difference between a reference photo and a painting.   And don't tell me that I asked for it because I share my artwork on the internet. I share my paintings and ideas and the stories behind them so as to encourage others to pursue  their own passions . I do not share so that those lacking integrity and morals can copy and market the images as their own...
33 comments
Read more

Grindstone

"Grindstone", 16" x 20" acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting Grindstone, just a few strides away from winning The Kentucky Derby in 1996. Read more about this painting's story below - it's a good one! And inquiries may come directly  to me .  Paying it Forward Shortly after getting The Derby Gig, which neatly dovetailed my childhood passion for horse racing with my grown up obsession with painting, I started formulating a plan to give back to the universe. As it played out, The Kentucky Derby Museum got involved, and it was decided I would donate a piece to them, something they could use as a fundraising tool to further their education efforts.  "Would I be interested in painting Grindstone, the winner of the 1996 Derby?" they asked. But of course! Little did I know the background story, though. Every year the Museum asks the owners of the Kentucky Derby winner to donate one breeding to the Museum when th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Golden Open Acrylics

I get all sorts of process oriented questions. Most recently I've been getting asked a lot about my paints and palette, which made me realize what a nice blog topic this would make! I use a Masterson Sta-Wet Premier palette box . This is comprised of a box (think Tupperware) with a sponge liner and a slice of palette paper that work together to keep my paints wet. This setup allows me to work with the same palette for about a full week, having the box open for multiple hours every day. You can see what the palette looks like at the beginning of a new session above - below the exact same palette after this week's work. For the last 25 years I have used Golden brand acrylics, mediums, and varnish. I love the overall quality of these paints and the fact that, when I have a question, their customer service department is made up of artists who actually use the products. Until last year, I used their Heavy Body paints exclusively. They have a buttery consistency, a little loose...
11 comments
Read more