It’s that time of year when we pause and take stock — and this year, I have a lot to reflect on! Outside of (and including) art, this was a genuinely fun year. I met a lot of long-term goals, just not always the ones I expected. More than anything, 2025 mattered because I came out of it knowing myself better.
I started the year thinking accountability meant discipline.
By the end of the year, I realized it meant clarity.
Big Themes of 2025
One pattern showed up again and again this year: I would set commitments or intentions, and life would inevitably intervene.
A lot happened outside of my control — serious illness, weeks spent caretaking my kids, returning to work into a completely new role, navigating new therapies, saying goodbye to two beloved pets, helping aging parents, and living through my company going public. Something always needed my attention, and often, it had to take priority over art.
The friction I felt didn’t come from painting itself. It came from trying to hold art to rigid expectations when my capacity had clearly changed. I tried to plan around that — setting up escape routes and contingencies — but the effort to prepare often ate into the time I had to actually create.
What changed everything was getting outside to paint.
Midway through the year, I discovered how much I love painting en plein air — fairly late in the outdoor season where I live, which only made it clearer how much I wanted more of it. Painting outside slowed me down in the best way. It gave me space to observe, experience, and work through visual problems in real time, with fewer distractions and a clearer connection between what I saw and what I was trying to put on paper.
I wasn’t worried about things going wrong. I wasn’t afraid of wasting a page. Each painting became a record of the joy of being in my surroundings.
Over time, I stopped over-committing. I shifted from resolutions to intentions. That shift allowed me to stay connected to my practice without turning it into another place where I felt like I was falling short.
Reflecting on Growth
When I did make art this year, it was pure joy.
Each painting felt like a chance to explore, imagine, and create tangible proof of my progress. Progress stopped being about checking boxes (even though I will always love a good checkbox!) and became about experience instead. The less I focused on outcomes, the more I enjoyed myself — and, unexpectedly, the more I learned and grew.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed working small. An A5 sketchbook I took with me while traveling was what I kept reaching for at home, too. I didn’t feel precious with it. I wasn’t intimidated by the expanse of white page, and didn’t need to plot large spreads — just 1-3 small sketches. The huge Koval Sketchilla, which is a lovely sketchbook despite my preferences, sat mostly untouched through the year.
Looking back, 2025 was an exhilarating art year — not because of volume or output, but because of how it felt to make the work.
Looking Ahead
As I look toward the year ahead, I want to hold on to what worked: intentions over resolutions, freedom over rigidity, and simplicity in my practice.
I want art to remain central, and to spend more time painting outside and traveling when I can. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, I’m excited to find ways to sketch wherever I am: cafés, a museum, or even my car.
I also want to share more, here and on my other platforms, but in a way that feels natural to me. Social media hasn’t always been my first inclination for sharing, and months can easily tick by without presence. Community has become an important part of my practice, and I hope to continue leaning into that in every capacity.
If you find yourself reflecting on your own year, I’d love to hear what stood out to you. You can find me here or over on Instagram, where I’m slowly sharing more of my work!
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