Aligned for What’s Next - Happy New Year

 

Self Portrait 2021

Every New Year people talk about “big leaps.”

But if I’m being honest… this year reminded me that the real transformation happens in the groundwork.

I’ve been laying a foundation for the last four years, pursuing an artist life full-time, showing up when it felt uncertain, learning what I’m made of, and slowly building something that looks like a real, steady artist career… not just a dream I talk about.

And yes, it was hard. But the hardest part wasn’t the workload. It was getting to know me. What I’m drawn to, what I’m called to say, what I’m willing to protect, and where I actually want to go.

Because if you don’t know that… you’ll spend years doing good things that still don’t feel like yours.

The unexpected relationships changed everything

One of the biggest gifts this year was forging relationships I never saw coming, we rarely do. The kind that open doors, shift perspective, and remind you that you don’t build a meaningful art life alone.

Some connections were professional. Some were deeply personal. All of them touched me in a way that told me I was in the right place, the more I stopped trying to “not get involved,” the more I attracted relationships rooted in real respect and shared vision. 

I searched for solid education… because I able to see saw I was missing

This year wasn’t about me “starting” education. I’ve always been learning in some way. This year I sought out good education and educators on purpose. 

I was ready. Ready to be taught. Ready to be sharpened. Ready to stop guessing my way through things that could be learned with humility and the right guidance.

And that shifted everything. When you start learning from people who carry both skill and integrity, you don’t just improve your work—you improve your decision-making, your confidence, and your ability to stay true to your voice. NEVER STOP LEARNING AND SEEK THOSE THAT EMINATE YOUR IDEA OF SUCCESS. (Not just in the art world either!)

Shout out to my sisters being a part of that learning. I’m blessed to have art in my blood and artists in my corner. Some of my favorite conversations this year have been with my two artist sisters, real talk about the work, the business, the discipline, the doubt, and the calling.

Toni Lovejoy, fine arts photographer of “My Name is Lovejoy,” has a gift for storytelling through imagery and faith, making something feel intimate, intentional, and true.

And Natalie Lovejoy, contemporary painter and sculptor, has this way of building form and meaning, reminding me that creativity isn’t supposed to stay safe.

Talking with them doesn’t just inspire me. It grounds me. It pushes me. It reminds me that we can be serious about our craft while still being human in the process. Those conversations have become part of my education too, because artists who love you will tell you the truth… and they’ll still cheer for you while you grow.

I used to think grants weren’t for me (I was wrong)

Let’s talk grants. I never felt like I needed them. After all my father never did it. I didn't know anyone growing up that did. They were foreign to me. 

However the people who make grants possible taught me something AGAIN: The arts need funding! Not because artists can’t work hard, but because funding helps communities explore, embrace, and experience art in ways they otherwise couldn’t.

Grants taught me more than I expected. They taught me how to clearly communicate what I’m doing, why it matters, and who it serves. They forced me to get organized, be specific, and honor my own process like it’s worth investing in (because it is).

And here’s the thing: learning to ask for support didn’t weaken my independence. It strengthened my mission. I became a better communicator… and it changed what I could create. That clarity is a form of freedom.

When I got better at communicating what I was trying to do, my intention, my themes, my direction, it became easier to make decisions, easier to collaborate, and honestly… easier to breathe.

It also helped me stop sweating the parts that come with funding and growth. Paperwork is still paperwork, but I don’t get lost in it like I used to. I can do what I need to do and keep my heart in the studio.

Going deeper wasn’t about the layers in my paintings

Here’s the line that surprised me the most: I thought going deeper meant more layers on the canvas. Nope! It wasn’t about the layers. It was about my why. I’ve changed my mind in a lot of ways. I used to say, “I don’t want to paint that type of stuff anymore.” Now I say: I’m focused on what moves me within my series. If it doesn’t align, I don’t do it.

That’s not rigidity. That’s maturity.That’s me choosing direction over distraction.

Commissions: I still say yes, sometimes… but only with authenticity

Going into 2026, I’m carrying two mottos that are keeping me honest:

“Your Distraction is Playing.” If it’s not building, it’s borrowing time.

And my move-forward motto: “Focus is a Foundation for Favor.”
Not because life gets easier, because alignment gets stronger when focus becomes the discipline.

Happy New Year, friends.
Let’s make beautiful art 🤍