A few days into the new year and I’m just sitting down to write this. Over the past two weeks I’ve been trying to decide whether to do a review or not, once again I’m choosing to do this mostly as a journal entry for me to look back at down the road. Every word and every photo always holds more memories than I am able to share, sometimes good and sometimes not so good, but usually worth remembering. I do this by going through my photos month by month and writing down the things that stand out. Happy reading!

Lets start with ART/BUSINESS highlights:

Closed down my art studio/gallery downtown and moved everything home.
Refinished our garage for an at-home studio space
Painted a large mural for Leland Brewing Company
Painted bright and colorful figures for an art show in Greenville SC
Finished my Scenes from Europe collection
Participated in the Art Room GVL spring and fall art shows
Travelled to West Chester PA for a retreat with my Wonder mastermind women and had the best time.
Had neighbors and friends over for a kid ornament painting party
Got out my watercolors for some holiday gifts

PERSONAL highlights:

Lots of house projects…including the completion of our bathroom remodel!
Took kids skiing for the first time and had a blast, but NC mountains are way different from OR mountains
Traveled loads:
- Boone for skiing
- Universal Studios for Spring Break, and Taylor Swift concert!!!!
- California-(Tahoe, San Francisco, Redwoods) to Oregon to Minnesota
- Switzerland!! Best vacation ever. With an unexpected overnight in Iceland on our way home.
- Brevard for a fall weekend
- Oregon for Thanksgiving
- Playa del Carmen MX for Christmas
Spent lots of time outdoors, especially on vacations…lots of time in and around water.
Thought about ways to move to Switzerland after falling in love with the Alps
Started exercising consistently again at the end of August and haven’t stopped
Started taking antidepressants in the fall and finally feeling like myself again…who knew you didn’t need to be “clinically depressed” to benefit from antidepressants. That constant feeling of overwhelm and dread (despite sleeping well and removing all unnecessary responsibilities) can be a result of chemical/hormonal imbalance. I probably could have used meds the year I started remote school with my kids after Covid lockdown, because that’s when things completely shifted for me emotionally. If you’re reading this and want to chat about this stuff I’m an open book, just reach out.
I read 77 books! 36 were audiobooks, the majority were kindle and a few actual paper books.

What a year it has been! I didn’t share the lows, but they mostly involve the ups and downs of navigating parenthood. I think many can relate to that. We travelled our brains out and I think this coming year we’ll be slowing down a bit. Although I loved it, traveling with kids is exhausting and never as relaxing as you hope. Even our Christmas getaway, it was supposed to be the “do nothing” vacation that turned into much more work with hotel issues and illnesses and a week after we’re still recovering.

What I’m looking forward to in 2024:

This coming year I’m stepping away from my art business a bit. I’m leaving my website up and am sort of leaving it an open door to see what unfolds. I won’t be focusing on marketing of my art or creating collections of work to release. I do think I’ll paint some, and I’m definitely not ready to shut the doors completely.
I’m going on an art retreat in June to Vermont and I cannot wait!! It’s at the Smiley Manse and will be taught by Dylan M, here’s the info.
I started a new job with Jenny Lackey of Intracoastal Interiors and I’m so excited to be a part of her team and see where we go.
We’re traveling to Banff (without kids!) for our good friends wedding in June, I’m so excited to hike up there and see the glacier lakes.
More reading

Happy New Year friends. Thank you for being here.

With love,

Ella

My 2023 Year-End-Review