February: In The Life of an Artist
I’ve been writing monthly emails to my newsletter subscribers and this year I’m trying them out as a blogpost (aka my journal here). It’s a slightly different way for me to write in longer format and to not lose these entries down the road.
The past few years January has felt like the longest month on record, this year, it has really flown by. I’m not quite sure why, maybe it’s the house projects we’ve had or the nicer warm days that have made the month not feel so sad and long after the holiday bustle. I’m ending this month feeling relief and some pressure lifted from my shoulders as I’ve made some changes in life/business.
STUDIO
I am so close to completing my Europe paintings and I can’t wait to share them all with you. I should have between between 9-11 paintings, and they will all be framed. There’s just something peaceful about looking at these paintings, brings me back to Europe and the cafes and the liveliness of the cities. I’m aiming for a release at the end of February, and of course my newsletter subscribers will be first to know when they’re launching. If you’re new here, I invite you to subscribe to my Studio Notes, the newsletter that keeps you in the loop all things art and life.
HOME
We’ve been working on more house projects and just general house organizing as we’re figuring out the family flow. We took a family trip to the mountains so the kids could ski for the first time. They were naturals and had no fear of course…and there was me, slightly terrified after snowboarding for 15 years and now trying to learn a new sport as a 41 year old! But I did it!
And if you’re familiar with the enneagram…I’m a 7, you’ll know that 7’s are all about adventure and what’s next. This past month we planned out our next big adventures and I cannot wait for all of them!!! Here are some hints below…
BOOKS READ
I decided not to set a reading goal this year for the number of books to read. I want to read what feels good, what’s inspiring, and read as fast or slow as I’d like. I don’t want a number hanging over my head, pressuring me to hurry through books or finish ones that just weren’t doing it for me, just so I could reach my goal. In January I read 4 books, all were quite different!
-The Measure was a really thought provoking books, highly recommend.
-They Went Left was a WWII historical fiction, I don’t know why I continue to gravitate to these books, maybe it’s because in the midst of horror there were so many inspiring people that somehow persevered against all odds.
-And They Called It Camelot, I really enjoyed this historical fiction about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis…I found her life fascinating and sad at the amount of loss she endured.
-And then I finished the month off with a mystery/thriller, Pretty Girls, not my typical go to, but a disturbing read nontheless. It kept my attention, but boy was it disturbing!
Let’s hope this format continues to work and maybe it will evolve as I dive into it a bit more. I’ve always enjoyed writing and find that I can often express myself better this way, so we’ll see where it all goes. Either way, thank you for reading and for sticking around. I truly appreciate you.
With love,
Ella