Haven't had enough time outdoors lately, so Derek and I went to a nearby park...

It's been very dry frequently.  Felt almost like fall...

We brought a blanket and shared some particularly good apricots.  I recently tried fresh apricots for the first time (not sure why I had never eaten anything but dried before!)

I can't forget to take time and refuel.  It was great to get out...

I’d originally planned to post this review at the beginning of the month, but better late than never, right? Right.  It's half way through 2012 (not exactly sure how that's possible!) and time to check in with my set goals and see how it's going...

Production

·         Complete my "Portraits" series
  I have continued to produce several more works, more on the way (but honestly I doubt that this goal will be met, as other painting priorities have come in to play)

·         Continue my Black and White series
Have completed a diptych and one large work in this series

·         Complete 3 large canvases per month
Check!

·         Complete 10 small studies per week
I have created many new studies, at times I make 20 in a week, and other weeks none are created.  I believe it is balancing out in the end.

Business

• Update mailing list quarterly – check!
• Schedule at least 1 solo show for 2013 – this is in the works (although may not be a true “solo exhibit”)
• Have new postcards designed, ordered - check!  They are on their way, very excited to see them J
• Order new small notecards – check!
• Have artist brochure printed quarterly, as needed - the artist brochure is on hiatus, as I redo my promotional materials
• Update website at least once a week with new paintings and current events – check!
• Update blog at least once a week, preferably 3 times mostly- Good consistency here, although leading up to festival, there was a drop in blogging
• Continue to develop and improve my monthly Studio Newsletter - yes!  My newsletter had a design overhaul, and I am working on content ideas too.
• Update Etsy site weekly - check!  Sometimes more frequently.
• Tweak my artist statement - My artist statement received a complete rewrite and I am pleased with it – for now.
• Update my onesheet - Check!
• Create a book showcasing my art – this is in the works, so no “check!”
• Enter 3 "good" juried shows within the year – I have entered and been accepted into 2, and will meet my goal for 3 in December.
• Overhaul my record-keeping system for inventory, for reals – still working on this, a very difficult goal, I am very driven (maybe too driven??) to make it perfect.
• Send out a researched mailing of onesheet/cover letter to galleries at the end of 2012 - This is scheduled for October or November 2012
• Make sure I reference this list monthly to keep me on target and make this entire "goal setting" process worthwhile! -  I haven’t been as good at referencing the list as I should be, but despite that fact, I have remained fairly well on task!  Yay!

My focus this year will be developing a consistent, powerful body of larger work.  I am very much looking forward to my solo exhibition at Annex Gallery and am excited about the prospect of searching out other galleries towards the end of the year.

I am making slow but steady progress with my main goal: creating a body of strong, larger-scale works on canvas.  Overall, I think my 2012 Year in Review will be chock full of things that I achieved which weren’t even on my radar for my Goals 2012 plan. 

Getting back to my regular schedule after all the chaos of being without electricity for days and recovering from a busy FestivAll weekend. 

Fragrant, ripening peaches and a day of painting sounds about right to me...