Plans

Creative Plans for 2020 – It’s My 6 Year Blog Anniversary!

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Creative Plans for 2020 - It's My 6 Year Blog Anniversary!
I am definitely someone who has to keep their creative ideas reined in. I learned during the second year of My Creative Resolution, that trying new things is fun, but learning and progress with new mediums takes time and dedication. If you scatter your time and energy across many different things, you don’t significantly progress in any one area. Growth takes focus.

At the time I tried block printing and thought, “This is cool. This is harder than I thought.” and “It would take time to get better at this.” After a year of trying things in 2015, I decided to focus on watercolor.

As I think about next year. The first thing that happens is I get excited about the idea of “shiny new things.” Then I pause and remember the lesson I learned and really think, “What do I want to focus on in 2020?”

There are two sides to my creative life – me as a creative pursuing what interests me and me growing a creative business. It’s important for me to make the distinction otherwise my list for 2020 will be all business ideas.

Creative business ideas:

Creative ideas:

  • Daily morning work is an important part of my art practice. Keeps me calm and creative. I enjoy it! I paint whatever strikes me that morning. It’s a no pressure time.
  • Seascapes – I am still drawn to the ocean. I never tire of visiting, photographing, and painting the ocean.

My creative ideas seem almost boring because I’m just continuing with more of the same, but as much as a new idea would be “shiny and new” I can’t think of one that would top my interest in the above.

When I write the words that describe me and what I’m interested in it’s, “inspire creativity, teach, paint in watercolor, and the beach.” This just confirms I have the right goals in mind for 2020. I’m sticking to the path I’ve been on.

What are your creative plans for 2020? Hoping for a creative year but don’t know where to start? Try my book Creative Exploration: A Six Week Process for Introducing Regular Creativity into your Life – Develop a regular practice of creating, explore mediums and subjects in search of your thing, and experience the joy that creativity brings. Creativity is for EVERYONE! Talent is just a starting point.

Creative Exploration book -

Creative Plans for 2018

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Words for 2018 #creative #goals
I’m an ambitious list maker. And if I achieve things on my list, I add more things. When I started writing down what I wanted to accomplish in 2018, the list was getting out of control. I don’t want to set myself up for failure – with a list too long to possibly achieve. I thought about Crystal Moody of A Year of Creative Habits. Crystal picks one word to be the focus of the year.

Okay so maybe I can’t pick just one word, but I like how simplifying things to a few words can guide your year, while still allowing for things to evolve.

For 2018 I’ve selected the words Paint, Teach, Share, and Connect.

Paint. It sounds so simple, but I like to remind myself that creating is the reason for blogging, posting, pinning, etc. Painting is the core of it all. I’m continuing the theme from last year of Painting the Ocean in watercolor.

Teach. I really enjoy writing about creativity and specifically enjoy writing posts that share details on painting. I’d like to continue with these types of posts, as well as start creating videos. It’s so easy to learn by seeing someone do something. I’m also toying around with the idea of doing an in person workshop. 😬

Share. This past year I made my work available in a few ways. I started selling prints of my ocean watercolors online at shop.eileenmckenna.com. Through Zazzle, my artwork is available on cards, mugs, and ornaments. I’ve added to my designs that are available as fabric, gift wrap, and wallpaper through Spoonflower. As much as I enjoy creating, artwork stacks up in a drawer. It’s exciting to put it out into the world and fulfilling when others enjoy it.

Connect. This year I connected with Mary of the Daily Sew. Mary created an awesome drawstring bag, and a free downloadable pattern, using my Swimming Laps fabric. I also connected in person with Erin Andrews, the Interior Designer behind Indigo House Interiors. Read her post “A Coastal Inspired Holiday.” I’m very excited to have someone local that I can meet for coffee and talk about creative projects, business, and blogging! I hope to continue connecting with other creatives in the new year.

These words for 2018 – Paint, Teach, Share, Connect – offer goals, but also flexibility. Here’s to a creative new year!

Read my 2017 year in review here.

Want a dose of creative inspiration? Sign up for my newsletter “My Creative Collection” by clicking here. Learn more here.

Have you visited my online shop? Prints of my seascapes are available on watercolor paper or canvas, in many sizes including the new “mini” canvas 11″ x 14″ at shop.eileenmckenna.com. Take a peek!