Wednesday, January 3, 2007

2007 New Year's Resolutions

Rose Barn with Shadow, 2006, Oil on Panel, 32x36


1. Organize and then KEEP my desk and paperwork up to date.

2. Keep my studio clean and tidy.

3. More studio time, less computer time.

4. Attend weekly figure drawing sessions at the local art association, even though the models are usually clothed rather than unclothed and even though it's on one of my favorite TV nights.

5. Develop new imagery for my oils.

6. Pull out some of the 7 million pastels sticks that I have (that are hidden from my kids who LOVE sidewalk chalk, if you get my drift) and play around with them a bit, without worrying about the following:

a). how to store the pieces
b). how to frame them or
c). how good they are OR
d). how bad they are and
e). whether the galleries will want to show them or not.

7. Work on getting some coverage in publications such as The Artist's Magazine.

8. Update my info and start sending my packets out again to galleries in cities such as NYC and Boston.

9. Save as much money as I can, in order to pay for a new building for my studio in 2008.

10. Um, earn more money for #9.

Resolutions 1 and 2 probably won't happen, but they are included just in case. I'll try to keep up, but will undoubtedly fall behind by about mid February and will fall back on my natural tendency, which is to let things pile up, then spend a few days organizing and catching up. Sometimes nature trumps a well intended resolution.

Resolution 3 is a tough one. I love and enjoy computer time. However it definitely cuts into my studio time plus I have also developed a sore right elbow which I suspect is the fault of my mouse. So I will settle for finding a better balance there. And I have already messed that one up by spending most of Monday and part of Tuesday reading blogs, googling Steve Prefontaine (we watched Without Limits Monday night) and how to raise sheep.

Resolutions 4-10 are long term goals and as my schedule permits, I will gradually take care of those throughout the year. I will probably discuss some of those more specifically in future posts.

My more personal goals are the same as every year since about 1978: lose weight (that's been modified in recent years to getting more exercise and avoiding sugar and flour, uh, which I'll start tomorrow, um maybe), be nicer/more helpful/more generous to others and to get a feathered haircut. Heh.

7 comments:

James Wolanin said...

Best of luck in 2007 Tracy, seems like you have a pretty good plan all mapped out!

Ed Maskevich said...

I look forward to seeing your pastel work.

Tracy Helgeson said...

Thanks Jim. We'll see. I just hope to be able to pursue a few new things in the coming year. Last year I was so crazy busy, I didn't have a chance.

Ed, So am I:-) I am pretty rusty with them and so who knows what will happen! I did a few very ordinary ones last year but hope to do a bit better than that this time.

Stacey Peterson said...

Ooh - I like your goal of working with the pastels! I bet you could do some beautiful work in pastel - something about your style just seems like it would lend itself well to pastels. I always want to try them myself, but I have the same concerns (framing with glass = ugh!!).

Best of luck reaching all your goals in 2007!

Tracy Helgeson said...

Stacy, thanks. I used to do pastels, and the images were more realistic than what I am doing now. So going back to them will be interesting!

I bet your pastel work would be really nice! You know, I started working with pastels because they were easier to pick up and put down with kids around. Hint. Hint.

Making A Mark said...

Try changing the time you do things for example move reading blogs to the evening - then you can even allow yourself to feel virtuous if you've got the studio work done first!

I'm loving all the work you;re doing at the moment!

Tracy Helgeson said...

Thanks, Katherine, that is a very good suggestion. One that I have tried but have had little success with! But it's a new year and so I think I will try again to avoid the computer until I have completed my studio time for the day. Thanks for reminding me of that option and for the compliment about my current work!