Looking back - looking forward

This has been a momentous year for me.  Although I knew that at some stage this year I would be able to make more definite plans to move to Australia, there was no certainty in terms of time.

I seemed to spend large chunks of the year involved with paperwork of one kind or another. Bureaucracy carries the burden of consuming much in the way of the world’s resources in terms of time and paper. So often I would complete lengthy forms only to find that they were misplaced and would have to be supplied once more. Call centres became the bane of my existence. Eventually all was in order, and I could make final plans.

Keeping creative while living in a state of transition is difficult, but fortunately, during the year  I had an important group show,  ConglomerART at artSPACE Durban to work towards.

Sinister Pools triptych each 915mm x 610mm ©Carol Lee Beckx

This was the second show by a group of artists who had completed the Artists’ Professional Practice Course facilitated by KZNSA (Kwa Zulu Natal Society of Artists)The first  exhibition was Big Night Out. The theme of my paintings was landscape - particularly the Drakensberg Mountains of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa and the cityscapes of the Drive Home series. The river in the painting above has a very interesting history. I will be writing more about this painting in a future blog.

Giving a workshop on drawing with ink and doing painting demonstrations for a couple of art groups gave me the opportunity to re-kindle my love of teaching. Teaching will certainly be part of my plan for the coming year.

Protea Cyranoides II Pen& ink 117mm X 165mm

©Carol Lee Beckx

Living without a sense of time is disconcerting so I needed to plan how to make best use of the year to prepare for my future.

The first most important step was to create my own website. I used specialist designers, but in actuality, I did most of the design work myself. By nature I have definite ideas of how I want things to look, so it was a case of telling them what I wanted.

Once the  website went live, I could take the next step and start writing a blog – Art matters. I wanted to reinforce my online presence as this is now essential for any artist.

I found that writing has given me a sense of continuity and purpose. Words have helped me work through the many different moods and emotions that a period of transition creates. I have found it fascinating that my readers hail from such different parts of the world – countries that I never expected to find anyone interested in my blog. Thank you for visiting and I hope that you will continue to do so in the New Year.

I wish you peace, happiness and a creative New Year.