2010 - An Odyssey

2010 has been an incredible year! I missed being Times "Woman of the Year", but I have come a long way! At the beginning of this year I was still suffering from identity crisis. I did not know how to answer when someone asked what I did for a living ..... Should I say I am a relapsed artist and a stay at home mom? Or that I am on a sabbatical? Or should I just plain say, I have no idea.  After graduating from art college in 2007, and having a baby in 2008, I could not say with confidence that I am a "professional" artist! I still had that student mentality and felt odd calling myself an artist! And I did not want to define my existence around my child. For some reason I dreaded the "stay at home mom" badge!

At the beginning of 2010, I have had enough and had to shake of the apathy that had completely taken control of my mind..... I started reading about art and artists and visited museums and galleries with a screaming baby strapped to my chest! The more art I saw, the more motivated I became. I started painting everyday, between my daughters naps and after my husband came home. I hired a nanny to stay with my daughter for few hours a day, so I could paint. Now at the end of 2010, I know I had done the right thing. I have to be happy for my daughter to be happy. No one wants a grumpy mom! Alyson Stanfield, in one of her blog posts posed the question about what we had  achieved this year and I can say that I have achieved a lot more than I thought I will at the start of 2010.

The most important thing that I am doing is painting everyday! I have set studio hour and I stick to it! I have a couple of galleries showing my works....I am also a part owner of a gallery! I could not even imagine at the beginning of the year that I will actually own a business! I barely had any idea what a blog was, for that matter! I thought you have to be really "cool" to actually have a blog! What can I possibly say in a blog? As it turns out, a lot! I even have a facebook fan page! I did not know much about facebook, let alone a facebook fan page! I have made so many friends this year that it really blows me away! And many of these people , I have never even met in life! All and all, I don't feel completely discontent with this year..... I have a long way to go before my aspirations are fulfilled but at least I am moving in the right direction! I hope 2011 will be even more productive in  both personal and professional field. One thing I really need to work this coming year is on myself and I am sure things will fall in place. I wanted to include a few paintings I did this year that  shows my development as an artist this year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Citrus, Oil on Panel, 8"x16"

Life Gives You Lemon, Oil on Canvas, 11"x14"

Candies for Sale, Oil on Canvas, 18"x18"

Liquid Candy, Oil on Canvas, 18"x24"

Falling Leaves, Mixed Media on Paper, 12"x16"

Melodies, Mixed Media on Panel, 8"x10"