Not to whine, for such is life... but simply to observe: 2013 was the first good year around here since 2007. Oh, there've been many good days, minutes, hours, some weeks, even, since 2007... but whole years? Not those. Neutral years, years in which nothing much bad happened? Not those, either.
2013 could have turned out differently. The stakes were high. And the big results weren't in until September.
But what the first nine months were leading up to culminated in very happy news!
My daughter's adorable baby son Miles, born on September 13, and shown here on Christmas Day, at almost 3 1/2 months:
I am beyond besotted! Look at that tender, adorable face!
The painting show I started working on in early January, opened in late September to a very warm reception. There were moments in March when I thought I wasn't going to make it. But I worked through the problems and ended up finding, as I had struggled to find, my own idiom. I made quirky paintings and they pleased me. The fact that others liked them was delicious.
I made illustrations, you will perhaps remember, for a wonderful new magazine about Raleigh, NC, called, appropriately enough Walter!
I got to do all sorts of things---maps, portraits, foodie things, even the cover of the first anniversary issue! And I had a double spread of garden imagery in June !
My work appeared on other pages, too. In the June issue of Watercolor Artist Magazine and in Playing with Sketches (the fourth book my work is included in!) by Whitney Sherman, director of the graduate program in illustration at the Maryland Institute of Contemporary Art. I'm so proud to be represented in both publications.
I made trips to Austin and to Portland, OR, to see my darling peripatetic daughter Cecelia. In Portland, I had a delightful sketching meetup with some Portland Urban Sketchers.
As you may know, I ended up my year with an exciting trip to northern Norway. More sketches from that trip to appear in a few days. My scanner is still hiccupping and the holidays are still intervening!
I will also talk about my art goals for 2014. I've done this before ;D. See you in just a few days!
And happy New Year to all of you, wherever you are!
What joy this sweet boy has brought to all for your Holiday:) He's so darn cute!!
Linda
Posted by: Linda Colgan | January 18, 2014 at 05:37 PM
Thank you, dear Sandra Busby! I'm so glad we connected via this blog and now there's your wonderful blog, so lively and popular! I know that your daughter is expecting a baby and I'm so thrilled for all of you! You are sure to be the most glamorous grandmother on the planet ;D. Happy new year!
Posted by: Laura | January 13, 2014 at 02:05 PM
I am so glad you had a great year! And you really deserve it after some of the things you have been through. I hope that 2014 is another wonderful one for you and how could it not be with this cute little guy in your life? My daughter has a baby due in April too :0)
Congratulations too on all of the success you are having with your work! You are as ever inspiring :0)
Posted by: sandra busby | January 09, 2014 at 08:33 AM
So glad you like the new banner, too, Kate! Thank you!
Posted by: Laura | January 02, 2014 at 06:18 PM
Thank you so much, dear friend Kate! You are so loyal and supportive always. Thank you again and again!
Posted by: Laura | January 02, 2014 at 06:17 PM
Oh and by the way, love the banner!
Posted by: Cathy Johnson (Kate) | January 02, 2014 at 05:48 PM