Looking back, 2020 was quite a ride. It took me places I didn't want to be and pushed in directions I did not want to go. There was kicking and screaming and tears. And quite a few ugly cries. And then there were insanely beautiful moments, made all the more precious because of their proximity to the darkness. And here I am, in the final throes of an extraordinary year, in a new studio and a new home, with a new body of work I'm readying to share.
When the pandemic cancelled my years' plans, I regrouped. Instead of exhibiting, traveling and teaching other artists in person, I turned inward and invested in myself. I spent my year actively studying. I took online classes and worked with Ardith Goodwin, Alyssa Monks, Stanka Kordic, Michael Carson, and Nick Wilton, amongst others. But I would say that, hands down, the hardest and most rewarding artwork, of which the above portrait is just one, was done via my mentorship with Anne Siems.
These drawings are raw. They originate in a particular moment or experience of mine. While they feel deeply personal, they are also universally human. And they most certainly speak to our experience of the past year.
Going forward, I don't know how I will show or share them. I was bluntly advised today to stop micromanaging every detail and simply sit back and let them come. This is tough to do for me - I am used to sharing transparently and regularly - but if it means that the work is more distilled, I've gotta buckle down and do it.
As Glennon Doyle says, "we can do hard things."
Which leads me to the next hard thing - the holiday celebrations coming up. They will be different this year for many of us. In our house this year we will set a physical place at our table for our friends who are alone, although we, too, will be alone ourselves. I encourage you to find a ritual or blessing to acknowledge your own celebratory shift.
And if you are so inclined, join me Wednesday, Dec 23rd, at 10am eastern, for a special #journalthroughit lesson. "At My Table" will be a journaling session dedicated to celebrations with loved ones, and we will make a page spread while reflecting on past - and future - gatherings. You can watch the session live on my FaceBook feed or tune in at your own convenience.
I remain grateful, so very grateful, for all your support this past year. Thank you for walking this path with me. It's been dicey at times, to be sure. But it's also brought us together, and that's a true blessing.
THANK YOU so much for making it this far, for reading all my wordy words, for buying my art or taking my classes or commenting and sharing things on social media. I am so grateful to share this journey with you. Stay well and stay safe and do your best to embrace a Happy Holiday in a year that was pretty stingey with happiness -
Warmly, Kim | 
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