A Year In Review

One year...one whole crazy, busy year ago, this Wednesday, I took the big, scary step to press publish on my first WordPress post! 'My Mia's Art' is turning one on a very significant day in our calendar - 12/12/12. How cool is that? The realisation that I have maintained this blog for 12 months, writing on average once a week and also coming to the tail end of my Facebook 365 photo project without one missed photo, has left me feeling very chuffed with myself...I set out with a plan in mind, some goals, thoughts, dreams and a whole lot of inner strength and determination that I didn't even realise I had! Its been quite a year... 17 completed paintings. (14 more than 2011) 5 art prizes entered. (4 more than 2011) and I was involved in a large Art Expo at the University of Western Australia. 2 art prizes won. (2 more than...EVER!) 1 SOLD painting (A large painting with an equally large price tag!) Hmmm....that 'one' lonely SOLD is a bit pathetic in print - but, that's OK. It's been just my first year of getting my art into the public arena and I am as proud as punch that I have a SOLD on this list at all. I've juggled creating this list in between my Mummy duties and luckily, the girls have survived!! I think I've done an Ok job. The kids are always my priority, without a doubt, but this year the girls have been able to see that their Mum is also a woman with goals and dreams and the right attitude to achieve them. Seeing me work to deadlines, make commitments and stick to them, push through the hard parts of making art and continue to educate myself with both my painting and photography has taught them more life skills than a clean house and perfectly ironed shirts could ever have!! Yes, the house, garden and my social life have suffered but I will eventually find the perfect balance I hope! We are about to start the long summer holidays here in Australia....8 weeks of freedom from school uniforms and lunch boxes and a forced rest from my painting studio...the holidays are all about family, some travel and an enormous amount of photo taking...watch this space!! There are already some exciting plans in place for 2013...an 'Invitation only' art show in February; a restaurant that has approached me to hang my work for 2 months from March and quite a few art prizes scattered throughout the year. I wont be painting from now until late January, then it will be all GO, GO, GO and sweat, sweat, sweat as I don't have air con in my studio!!! So, with a hip, hip hooray, I thank everyone who has taken the time to read my posts over the last 12 months and a huge thank you to the regular handful of commentors who have put fingers to keyboard...I appreciate your kind words and support as I have shared my journey. Another enormous high-five to my Facebook followers...its been an amazing ride with you all cheering me on. Many, many thanks, Mia x