Januaries come and go, and like many, many other people, I make promises and resolutions hopefully to get to a better place in the new year.

This year I made the usual “promises.” I will stick to my diet and work on keeping my diabetes to low levels. I will work on being and staying healthy. This means continuing not to indulge in sweets, too many carbs, or margaritas (keep the pounds off).

A lot of us make these resolutions to get us back on track. Sometimes they work, and sometimes by the third week into it they dissolve away.

Determination is the key word here.

This year is different for me. One of my issues is to stick to a regimen of working on my craft daily. (I always have but I want to do more.) I continue to paint, sculpt, and create work. There are shows I must create new pieces for, but there is also work I need to do to develop my personal style and to grow.

I feel that drawing is the backbone of all visual genres. With that said, I draw and sketch and keep diaries of things that interest me and could possibly pop up in my bigger works. I never throw anything away, and I keep all for future inspiration.

Whenever I travel I bring sketch books and journals to keep track of places and things that interest me (along with a camera for documentation). You never know when that perfect subject matter might pop up.

In keeping my new year promises, procrastination is not acceptable. I have a sizable work space, stocked with all the materials I need, a great sound system to put me in the right mood, and lastly a place where I can be free with my applications and inspirations. I call this my “manic and emotional” ride.

And as I go into 2019, I’ve already started on it again, and am anxious to see where it takes me creatively, professionally, and personally.