2020 Art In Review

I created only ten pieces of art in 2020 (a far lower number than the 98 I did in 2019!). This year's art was also all on a small scale, with all ten measuring 8"x10" in size. Nine were colored pencil drawings that were a part of my "floral attributes" series, and one was a watercolor I painted as a gift for a friend. I knew I wouldn't be nearly as productive as I had been the previous year (and indeed, the reason I made SO much art in 2019 was because I knew I would be busier in 2020, and I wanted to save back some 2019 artwork to fill in the gaps for this blog this year) - but looking at that number ten is still rather shocking at first glance. Ten? Only ten? Sure I was busy, but I definitely had time to do more than 10. Right? 

But when I look at previous years that saw me make only ten (or fewer) pieces of art in the year, it starts to make more sense. 2011, 2012, and 2013 were all also low-output years. These were the three years immediately after I graduated with my BFA from EMU. I was 1) recovering from a bit of an art burnout, 2) focusing much more on graphic design (trying to find a local graphic design job, and also trying to start an invitation design company), and 3) planning for my wedding and our first househunting/home-purchasing/moving adventure.

2020 ticks a lot of those boxes as well. I went really hardcore in 2019 to pump out lots of art, so a bit of art burnout was likely there. 2020 also just had a lot of LIFE burnout. It was hard for ALL of us to be productive this year, with all the anxiety-spiking news making headlines. When you're weighing heavy pros and cons of everyday decisions (Is it safe to go to the grocery store? Is it too risky to visit family?) day in and day out, and your adrenaline is kicked into higher gear - and stays there for months on end - it's hard to focus on ways to channel creativity into productivity. Add to all that becoming a parent for the very first time, and prioritizing caring for our newborn daughter and trying to figure out what to do with her every day in a world where a lot of usual options were suddenly unfeasible... and then also deciding to move, and thus embarking on another househunting/home-purchasing/moving adventure (this time all in the midst of a pandemic no less) - and it's easy to see why my art output was a bit on the skimpy side this year.

I don't bring all this up to self-shame. In 2011-2013 I absolutely shamed myself for my lack of productivity - but I've grown since then, and I'm trying to be less of a perfectionist, and less hard on myself. I'm actually quite proud of my 2020. I accomplished a lot, especially all things considered; it's just that most of those accomplishments weren't art-related. And that's ok. That's the way it is sometimes, when your work is in a creative field. There will be ebbs and flows to your commissions and opportunities, and also ebbs and flows to your work habits and priorities. After 2013, I really prioritized art again, and I turned around those low-output years, coming up with plans for entire series of artworks - one of which I'm still working hard and seeing through. And after this year, I can turn around that low-output again. I have no doubt I will create more art in 2021, after we finish moving in to our new house and I get my new studio set up.

And the art I did work on this year? I'm really proud of it all. Here are 8 of the colored pencil drawings I finished this year (the 9th one I haven't posted on this blog yet - something to look forward to for a 2021 post!):

I also had a lot of success at Rochester Art Market at the Paint Creek Center for the Arts and on Etsy this year, selling notecard sets. My Great Lakes notecards continue to be most popular - but I've sold other notecards as well, especially those in my floral and rainbow alphabet series.

Head over to my Etsy shop to see all the notecard varieties I have to offer! And keep an eye out for some changes coming next year - I have a lot of new notecards on the way soon, featuring drawings from my floral attributes series!