2016 - A Debrief

Okay, so I feel almost embarrassed to write this blog post...it has been almost 5 months since I've written one. 5 months! How can this be? Well, let me tell you just how this can be. I certainly haven't been sitting around lounging on the couch in my pjs, scoffing chocolates and keeping up with the latest Oprah or Dr Phil (are they even on the box these days, or am I a decade out of touch?) It has been an epically busy year and with epic busyness comes a certain amount of stuff that just doesn't get done...like feeding my family and writing my blog. So here goes my annual debrief (which I, ahem, forgot to do last year) I do this mostly for myself, a one-off statistical analysis for my records and because if I don't, I just can't remember each year to the next! So if there is anyone else reading this other than my Mum, please excuse my boasting and lack of humility. Sorry. Not sorry. 2016. You've been the best year yet...and the hardest year yet. I failed dismally with 2016's 365 photo project...I only got as far as day 57. Yikes. Bummer after the awesomeness of my 2014 'Adventures of Monet,Manet and Minet Quin' and making it right through a whole year with my little friends. I wont promise one for 2017 but I do love a photo project...just not in the same year as a major exhibition!! I have painted 37 paintings of various sizes. This is just one more than last year surprisingly, so I am probably at my limit, given it's a similar amount. Detailed realism you take time. I've found 'Forever Homes' for 24 paintings...a record. A very happy record. Baring in mind that many of these paintings have been painted over the last three years, not just this year. My canvas storage spaces all over my house are breathing a little easier. I've had some major highs and some very low lows in 2016. Though I entered 10 art prizes this year, I was only selected to hang in half of them. Sadly the biggest and my most favourite show, The Royal Agricultural Show, was one of the ones I didn't get into. The ol' head space took some work to keep strong but I got through it. On a positive note, I did enter some big national prizes and though I didn't get through, I was certainly proud to have given them a shot and I did get through as a finalist in an Australasia wide show, The Clifton's Art prize, with only 100 paintings chosen across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. I won 'Best Oil' in the West Australian Society of Arts annual show...such a terrific achievement! I had my first major show in April - 'Three Palettes' at the Moores Gallery in Fremantle. MY OH MY. What a blast. Shared with my two gorgeous art buddies, Jan Brown and Alicia Gorey, it was an incredible achievement and an absolute high light of my art year. In November I finally got gallery representation!!! Oh boy, did I ever shout that from the roof stops. The Studio Gallery in Yallingup, Western Australia. It was the gallery I was aiming for and I am beyond thrilled to have made it onto their list of quote 'leading Australian artists'. How I love those three words. They are only taking my still-life flat - lay plate series at this point, so I have finished up the year with a flurry of new plates on my easel. Figurative work temporarily on hold. I also have two Perth based businesses displaying my work...Aube Nouvelle in Claremont and The Dalkeith Veterinary Centre (with commission at the vet going to the SAVE Foundation and the preservation of the endangered White Rhino) I am the sole 'Artist in resident' for both businesses. I am so grateful to have this support for getting extra eyes on my work. I also joined Bluethumb, an online art gallery, which has already successfully rehomed my largest figurative piece. https://bluethumb.com.au/artworks/search/Mia%20laing I painted two personal heirloom projects for our family. Absolute favourites. (See 'My Gals' above) So there you go...after 5 years of this blog, the art is going well but the writing not so much! Maybe 2017 will be the year of the word too? Thank you for your ongoing support in my art journey and all that awesome cheering from the sidelines. I have made so many incredible connections through my FB https://www.facebook.com/mymiasart/ and Instagram art pages https://www.instagram.com/mymiasart/ There are some days when this invisible network of loyal supporters really does keep me going. Especially many of you art gals that are walking a similar journey as full-time professional female artists, with all the juggles that come with that. In fact, some of the invisible online friends have now become actual have coffee real-life friends!! Thank you Gail, Jo, Felicia, Linda, Jen, Stephanie, Claire, Miranda and Anne- Marie (we will get one in 2017 hopefully!) Please forgive me if I left anyone out? Thank you Jan and Alicia for being such an integral part of this year. April was so unbelievably special and I wouldn't have wanted to have a first exhibition with anyone else. So there we have it..a clean palette, a blank canvas, ready for whatever 2017 puts on my easel. Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Mia x