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Pausing at the start of this New Year, 2025, I find myself taking stock, reflecting over this past year and mentally going down my art checklist of the works I created and what I've accomplished in the past 12 months.  

Long exhale and then my inner critic takes center stage, demanding attention. She starts whispering in my head. I call her "Piper the Griper." AKA Bellyacher, Curmudgeon, Fusspot. I imagine her as in this little attached drawing I did of her years ago. She sits on my left shoulder, whispering away, close to my left ear, giving life to those little self doubts we tend to beat ourselves up with from time to time.  I gently tell her thank you and instruct her to go sit, settle down and to be quiet.  

Yes, this past year was one of great recognition. Two of my favorite paintings were recognized and won awards in juried shows. "Trees in Azure Moonlight" won the second place award of excellence in the highly competitive 2024 49th WFWS Western Federation of Water Color Societies Exhibit in Phoenix, AZ and "The Nocturne Rises over the Canyon"  in its first public exhibition, was awarded first place in the PAA Plano Art Association Willowbend Exhibit. How wonderful to be recognized by my peers and applauded.

                                     "Trees In Azure Moonlight"    

                                          "The Nocturne Rises Over the Canyon"

2024  was also a year of greatly reduced output of my personal art. This year found us with two new grandbabies born within 10 days of one another in different parts of the country. Family growth and joy have been a huge part of these past 12 months plus a bit of concern during the lead up to their arrival. Projects were replaced with designing baby announcements, art work for baby showers and traveling to see new babies and family. Painting and studio time stalled and my mind was often elsewhere.

I've found that during these lulls in my art practice the head jumps in and says "Hmmm, I'm not sure you know how to do this?" Funny because after 40+ years of creating, one would think that making art is always second nature. Surely it's easily done by tapping into a lifetime of practice plus many years of studying the foundational concepts of composition, color and technique. Right? Insert here the ol' adage "you never forget how to ride a bike".

Coming up with a new painting after a long pause from ones studio is akin to reconnecting with an old friend. Awkward at first, peppered with gradual reconnection and finally, positive rediscovery.  While that implicit memory about the unconcious recall of skills and how to perform them is applicable in the creative process, the actual muscle memory can sometimes falter and negative self talk can come to the forefront. "Piper the Griper" enter stage left.  But as I always say to myself , Lights - Paintbrush - Action! Pick up that brush and go and soon enough that doubt will disappear and "Piper the Griper" will find her seat in the back of the room and be silenced. 

So as I close out the year by reflecting on significant events and personal challenges I experienced throughout 2024 and as I look forward with anticipation to my 2025 aspirations,  I am honored and exicited that I was chosen as the featured artist in the  SWS Southwestern Watercolor Society "SCENE" Newsletter January 2025 Artist's Spotlight.

Take a look and come join me on my renewed art journey for this coming year. It is going to be exciting! 

And scroll down to the Artist's Spotlight where I am featured in the January 2025 SWS Newsletter via this link below to read a bit more about my artlife and journey.

You can also sign up for new art alerts via a safe email signup link here on my webpage  

Thanks so much. 

SCENE Newsletter January 2025 SWS Southwestern Watercolor Society

~ Cheryl

You Can SIGN UP HERE FOR ALERTS WHEN I UPLOAD A NEW PAINTING