Thursday, January 01, 2009

My Goals for 2009

I haven't thought too much about this but I guess that I should. Especially as the year seems to fly by so fast. I do have several things I want to work on during the coming year.

1. I want to continue to improve my colored pencil art. I have been doing it about a year now and even though I still consider graphite my medium of choice, colored pencil is slowly working it's way to the top. The main thing I would like to work on this year with colored pencil is portraits.

I can do portraits of animals and get the shading and contours of faces, but when I try to do the same with people faces with color, I seem to have a hard time. The faces seem to look dirty to me. And as I've admitted many times, I just don't "see" the different colors in faces.

I see many beautiful portraits that have blues, greens, purples and many other colors. But when I look at a face, I just can't seem to see those colors. I think maybe I should just start with one color and try with it. Since I can do portraits in the Derwent Drawing pencils using only 3 colors, there should not be this much problem for me. But....

2. I have been very lax at drawing every day (which I preach to people all the time). I was drawing every day for over a year or so. Lately I go days without doing anything at all. I have even stopped doing much in the Scavenger Hunts. I plan to participate more in the hunts and draw something daily. I'd better hurry for today as I haven't done anything yet today.

3. I need to spend less time on the computer. When I am home, I spend off and on all day on the computer. I will check email and the threads at Wetcanvas and that will lead to something else and on and on. When you do that several times a day (and quite late in the night), you don't get much of anything else done.

4. I want to spend more time reading some of the art books I have. I like to read but since I found art, I very rarely read a book. Plus I fall asleep reading (and with the late nights, I fall asleep sitting up in front of the computer).

5. I need to eat healthier. I have gained so much weight since last January. I had lost weight from my Knee surgery but made up for that and then some. I don't eat right and I like Dr. Pepper and sweets. Not a good combination.

6. I want to spend more time on my Bible studies and going to church. I have let that become a once in awhile thing and that is not good enough. I need to feed my spiritual side more and show my appreciation for the life I have been given.

7. Back to art. I want to spend some time doing some artwork that gets framed and can be used for hanging in the local art association gallery. Most of what I do never gets framed unless I am doing it for a competition/show at the gallery.

8. I will continue to enter the open shows at the gallery where my artwork hangs for a month during each competition. And I will continue to go with my plein air group on Wednesday mornings.

9. I plan to get more sleep. My days and nights have been turned around. I don't feel as good lately because I don't get enough sleep. With a truck driver for a spouse, my sleep gets disturbed at different times each day. His schedule changes every day. He sometimes leaves in the wee hours. Even though I don't get up with him, I am half awake while he is getting ready for work. Then can't get back to sleep.

Other times I will be up late, help him get off to work, then go to bed. Even when I go to bed at a decent time, I tend to lie awake until the wee hours. And by wee, I mean 4 or 5 am. Then I sleep till 10 unless the dogs wake me to go out. Those times leave me with a headache (and the falling asleep sitting up at the computer).

10. I will try to at least keep my house a little more orderly. (and that doesn't mean ironing sheets Katherine-can't believe anyone irons sheets) I don't even iron shirts. When I put something in the dryer, it had better come out ready to wear.

There are quite a few more things I could list but I will stop at 10. These 10 will be a hard enough road for me to follow. If I am getting more sleep, when will I spend more time on housework, art, Bible study, etc, etc, etc. So you see my problem. Anyone know how to stretch more hours out of a day?

Happy New Year to all.

7 comments:

Making A Mark said...

Jeanne - sounds like a very good set of aims to me. Good luck with them.

Have you tried ear plugs for when you should be asleep? They make some very good ones these days.

I'm also going to be trying to tackle weight issues this year. Those of us with mobility problems are always going to struggle with weight because of the 'structural' problems and the pain but I'm going to be making a renewed effort to find a way of exercising which works for me! I'm going to be trying to get out every day for the 60 minutes of exercise - or substitute that for getting a bit busier around the house!

Laurel Neustadter said...

You have a good list of achievable goals, Jeanne. I am also trying to find a loophole in the 24 hours a day limitation ... please let me know if you find it! :-)

Teresa said...

Phew... I'm tired just reading your list! My only suggestion is to go a little at a time. Too many goals can be overwhelming and lead to disappointment. Make small changes first - which will give you that good feeling of accomplishment and encourage you to do a little more - then work up from there. You can do it! If it's any encouragement, I've also got the "lose weight, exercise more" goal... and I've starting with just a pleasant walk each day.... I already feel more energetic!

Donna said...

I hope you don't stay away from the computer TOO much because I love reading your posts!

Joan said...

Jeanne - It looks like you've got good goals for the new year! I don't usually list goals or resolutions for the year. I just hope to be actively artistic and healthy and happy. I love the card below. You do a super job with the colored pencils...very rich colors!

Jo Castillo said...

Jeanne, you have a tough list! There was a hint on a blog that I try to keep up with and it helps. I just check my email in the morning, midday and evening. It is helping and of course there are days where I slip up, but I have to keep at it. I do the same thing, check one thing and then am lost. I try to do wetcanvas and posting at night. My goal is to go upstairs at 1130. I haven't done that since Thanksgiving, so I am going to try it again. They say sleep helps with weight. If I stick with that, it helps me schedule the rest of the day better!

Good luck ... and try just a little as a time as Teresa says.

Laure Ferlita said...

You're going to be a busy lady with all these great goals to work on! Good luck! I was surprised at how important a good night's sleep really is to all the rest of my day, but it's kind of the cornerstone. If I don't sleep well, I'm not as productive, I gain weight, I don't exercise, spiral, spiral, spiral.

The one major thing that has helped me is that I exercise and I aim to exercise as early in the morning after I wake as possible - then I sleep better! It also burns calories throughout the day, and it's hard to eat poorly when I've just spent 30 minutes exercising. Maybe that will help you as you move into new year! I'll be looking forward to reading about your progress!