Today is the Winter Solstice. By its very nature, this is a time to look with nostalgia over our shoulder; a time of introspection as we consider where we are on the path towards our hopes, and dreams; and a time of excited anticipation for what is coming. It is a time of prayer and planning and stepping forward in faith. I can still hear my father each year excitedly telling me that today the days will start getting longer. It is the time of the year when we gather together with friends and family, and celebrate our blessings, our hopes and the amazing light and color of the season. Now is when we can feel the strengthening hope of tomorrow, despite the weariness we may feel from our heartaches or challenges of the last year.
I have begun to revisit various medium that I had set aside over the years to discover that I have changed sufficiently that they are now fun and fulfilling again. Pen and ink, graphite, and watercolor are re-emerging to join my greatest love from these last several years, oil on canvas. To add to the shifts I have been renesting my studio space in my home. That alone is an exciting and invigorating process.
It has been exciting this year to enjoy some growth, success, and direction in my artwork and know that this is merely the beginning leg of this next adventure. I cannot guess what is really coming but it doesn’t really matter – I trust the process. I am setting up the calendar for the year as best as I can with art shows, music venues, and travel adventures that are rooted in “works from the road” as I paint my way to an expanding artistic network and an improvement of my craft. The possibilities are endless.
Kelly E. James 