Friday 16 January 2015

Welcome to 2015 : Belatedly!

Jean Haines
World of Watercolour
To be launched in June 2015

I can't believe it is a month since my last blog post. Where has the time gone? Thank you to everyone who has sent emails asking if I am okay. I am, but goodness life has been so very busy. 

I must  admit, several years ago a leading artist told me that if I had time to spend online then I wasn't busy enough in my art career or painting enough. I had no idea then that they were right. I have been so busy that I havent had time to add to my blog. Previously, I was online so much sharing my art on social media and I loved it. I still do, so this isn't going to be a time where I disappear completely but my life has changed dramatically over the last twelve months and I now realise that I have been juggling so much.

My New Years resolution was for me to take time out to think about what I want from my art. For the third year running I am unable to participate in art society exhibitions. Mainly because of working on publications and preparing for solo shows. My tours and workshops have also taken my time and I have absolutely loved each one.

But where does that leave me facing 2015?

Well. My latest new book will be launched this year and I will be celebrating by  demonstrating at Patchings in summer. I am also a guest artist in USA at the annual Plein Air Convention followed by workshops in Seattle at the Daniel Smith head office. I have workshops in UK and later this year I am on tour again in USA holding workshops and book signing events in New York, St Louis, West Virginia and California.  I'm working on tours in 2016/2017 at the moment. And receiving some fabulous invitations.

I am also leaping into a rather  unique book that is not related to my previous three. It is something that has come about  naturally and will see me totally engrossed working on it, but I am also needing to research behind each chapter. This will do me good as an artist. I need to stretch myself to grow and if readers are to love it I really need to spend time thinking about how I can make it magical.

But more than anything else. I want to paint. I want to simply paint just for me. For the sheer enjoyment of painting. And for artists who are desperately searching for a successful art career can I offer this little bit of advise. Think hard about what you really want from an art career. For me, I feel so lucky to be living such a wonderful life via my art but I am having to be careful not to let the workshops and teaching side of my career take over from my personal time painting.

Which is why this year I have limited my UK workshop courses. And avoided too many abroad. I apologise for none in Italy this year. But I simply needed more time to paint and write.

I am going to be popping on my blog, catching up on Facebook and yes, popping onto Twitter too.

But mostly, when I go very quiet , I am having a ball painting!

I hope you are too.

************

2 comments:

Artist Flynn Gentry-Taylor said...

Jean, where will you be at the Plein Air convention in the USA?

Leona said...

well said I was wondering how on earth you were going to slot in some time for JEAN but Im glad you've planned around that. Cant wait for the book but JUNE think Ill die of anticipation before then lol. I'm sure it'll be worth the wait. Enjoy, relax, shut the world out occasionally love your pets and stay healthy in 2015