Boy how time flies! This time last year I was preparing for my cross country drive to Los Angeles to spend a month with Evan and this year I am getting ready for shoulder surgery. (More on that later.)
Last year, I decided on “Expand” as my word for 2022 and I certainly think I fulfilled the definition. Stay tuned in January for my word for 2023. I always like to take a look back on my year and see how it panned out in comparison to what I goals I had set at the beginning. Do you do the same? I’d love to hear about them.
Without further ado, here’s my 2022 recap!
GO West!
In December of 2021, my dad and I drove across the country to Los Angeles. I’ve done road trips before and have seen a lot of the country but have never travelled from coast to coast. My dad prepared my van so that I could camp in it and also bring along my cats, Ruthie and Timmy. We drove south from Baltimore to Fairhope, Alabama to research some family history before turning west on I-10. It was an eye opening experience to say the least. We saw the Appalachians in the Virginias and Tennessee transform into estuaries that led to the gulf before giving way to the desert fields of west Texas into New Mexico and Arizona. Across lake Pontchartrain, we saw blue tarps still covering roofs that were damaged by hurricane Katrina. We drove through the oil fields of east Texas, had barbeque in Austin with an old high school friend, visited a fellow artist in Marfa, camped on BLM land in Arizona and let the kitties explore the desert. People were friendly and welcoming along the way. After eight days on the road we pulled into Evan’s on Christmas Eve, my birthday.
After spending the holidays with my dad and Evan, my dad met my cousin and explored the Mojave Trail while Evan and I worked and painted together. We took in the Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl Flea Market, The Getty Museum, and the Huntington. I created a new painting, “The Boat Painter,” inspired by my trip to Morocco in 2017. Friends from the Netherlands visited toward the end of the month and before we knew it it was time to head back east. I met up with my dad in Arizona and high tailed it home to avoid being snowed in by a storm that was nipping at our heels.
Back to Work
Back home, I got right to work on several projects that were waiting for me and started a new project called “Finish Challenge” where each month I go live on both Facebook and Instagram and demonstrate a finish based on items of inspiration such as fabrics, wallcoverings, images, textures found around us. I’ve also created a group on Facebook as well as a Youtube channel where you can view past Live videos. My facebook group “ Finish Challengers” offers people a place to learn how to create decorative finishes, not based on products, but on achieving a certain look or effect. My goal is to create a community that is supportive and inspirational and a way to build your portfolio from home whenever you choose. I also hope to inspire interior designers and show them how to incorporate more decorative painting in their work. I hope to see you there!
Workshops and Classes
In addition to my Finish Challenge, I created an online verison of my Painted Glass class. I also have my Abstract Painting class available. These online workshops are a great way to get creative in the comfort of your own home. If, however, you prefer to make a mess elsewhere, I will be planning some workshops in 2023. I finally hosted my postponed glass class from covid this past September. If you are curious about future workshops, be sure to sign up for updates with my newlsetter.
Norway and Sweden
In May, Evan and I travelled to Norway and Sweden. This year’s Salon was held in Bergen Norway. To read more, click on my post about our trip. Salon 2023 will be hosted by Lynne Rutter in San Francisco. I’ve already begun to paint my panel so that I can get a head start before surgery. I’m taking a departure from my usual panels and can’t wait to reveal it in the spring!
New Projects and We got published in AD!
2022 saw a handful of really fun projects. I began working with Ash NYC on their latest hotel project here in Baltimore. Hotel Ulysses was inspired by the book of the same name by James Joyce as well as local Baltimore Icon John Waters. The lobby, Ash Bar, and Bloom’s are a maximalist’s dream. We created the finishes in the Lobby and elevators. And to our joy, it was featured in the November issue of Architectural Digest!
Ash brought me up to Manhattan to complete a genuine silver leaf ceiling for a client of theirs in the Upper East side. The apartment was featured in Cabana Magazine with an interview with lead designer Will Cooper.
I also had the opportunity to create some fun murals for some great design teams. As you know, murals are my passion. I really enjoyed having more mural work.
some play time
And of course, I made several trips to see Evan and help with his projects. We also made time for some fun to visit his family in Utah, Zion National Park, the Getty Villa, the Norton Simon, and other adventures. Evan came to Baltimore and he had steamed crabs for the first time. We got to ejoy Oellapalooza, a local music event put on by my friend who owns a great farm in the heart of Oella. also went to the Renaissance Festival, my first experience since 1998!
This was also my second year as a level 1 coach for the Mount Hebron High School Cycling Club, aka “the Biking Vikings.” Head Coach Dennis Champney asked me to help coach. We rode together on our college team at Towson University. Even though my schedule limited my time with them, we still had a great season. The students did crossfit in the offseason and they had a great time riding and racing. I am looking forward to next year.
CLosing out 2022
So without further ado, I will be having my shoulder repaired on December 20th. This surgery is long overdue. I’ve been dealing with pain for well over 10 years and I finally was diagnosed with a torn labrum which has made work increasingly more difficult. Evan will be coming out to take care of me and spend the holidays and my birthday together. I’m a lucky girl! I’m looking forward to a pain free 2023 (hey, that rhymes!) I will be taking a more managerial role and plan to have some of my fellow decorative painters assist me with upcoming projects until I am cleared to return to work.
But before then, I have one last trip to LA to attend Evan’s art show opening at the AI+ Gallery in Pasadena. If you’re in the area, be sure to check it out!
