At the end of 2019 I set myself some resolutions, and although 2020 was a year that was wildly derailed by cataclysms of nature and politics, I’d like to see how well I got on, and whether I would still consider the same things to be priorities.

1. Finish some of the projects that I had started

Well, not sure I can claim this one. Certainly, I picked up some projects that I had previously started, a lot of them a long time ago – the Appleheads from Blogpost 1 saw a sad sort of conclusion in Rotten Luck; the Dragon Head got slightly closer to becoming a trophy; Betty and Barney Hill’s alien agressors got a little more fleshed out; and I did return to my Peru photography.

2. Develop some new creative skills

I suggested sewing and soldering at the time. I have done no soldering, and a smattering of sewing, which has improved, although there wasn’t much of a foundation to build on. I think the lino printing was a move in a good direction, though I haven’t done any for ages, and the only other really news skill I think was lumen printing.

3. Build on skills I have started developing

This is where I see the most success in the last year – from puppet making to drawing to photography, I feel like this has been a really positive year of moving forwards, albeit with a long way still to go. I also feel like my thinking has developed, and with projects like Memory Lane and The Art of Scent, which feel quite different to my normal sort of thing.

4. Keep developing the creative skills of my children  

I love spending creative time with my kids, or at least my little girl. The boy is still a bit young to get much out of art and craft, but Erin loves it. You can see some of her work in Flight of the Reindeer, Old Saint Nick, the Quarantine Kid and Isolation Creations. Monomaniacs feels like a proper collaboration to me – something maybe to build on!  

5. Experiment more 

I guess I’ve done this just by pushing things forward. For me, it all feels experimental, and I’m really just constantly messing around with seeing what I can do with different media and themes, but from an outside perspective I don’t think any of it could be described as experimental. Could this be the year now to push some boundaries?

So what will 2021 bring? Who bloody knows? I’m reluctant to pin anything down because the universe makes its own plans for you. I’d like to do more challenges, but need to find the right people who are up for it. In fact, building more of a community would be a lovely thing to aim for – more interaction, more collaboration. I’d also like to remain prolific. I’ve had some real low moments this year (who hasn’t) and it has strongly affected my creativity. I’m not sure whether to try and fight this, or roll with it.

There’s a handful of things I’d like to try a bit more of, although I won’t commit to it. Firstly, is finishing more bigger scale projects, as I’m normally happier to just fiddle with little projects and sketches. Secondly is to really try and push my drawing on a bit. Not sure how, but I’m thinking more life drawing and figure drawing when I can, and be a bit more focussed and ambitious with drawing projects. Thirdly, I’d like to explore my Irish heritage a bit more in my art. I’ve no specific ideas at this stage, but it feels conspicuously absent to me.

Anyway, the only real resolution is to keep making. And I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year, with many adventures and much creativity in 2021. The world needs more art, more empathy and more magic. I hope you get some of that magic in the coming year: