Welcoming in the New Year

Welcoming in the New Year - 2024

My 2024 priorities remain almost the same as 2023 and my word for 2024 is "grace". Asking myself, how do I respond to life, people, events and me with grace? What does grace look like for me? How do I incorporate grace into my arts practice? What is the sound, colour and taste of grace? I want to record, privately, something involving grace shown to me or given by me each week - something that goes beyond random acts of generosity or the easy gratitude when things go well. I like a description attributed to John Baldoni of grace as being about doing something unearned (for want of a better word) for others, respect for all and all things, as action for change, compassionate concern and the energy that is of us.

For the coming year, #1 priority - create. Every day. E V E R Y single day. #2 priority - turn up. Participate fully. #3 priority - ditch and cleanse. End one way transactions disguised as relationships, recognise when I should know better before I should have known better. #4 priority - extricate myself from everything that won't kill me and be vigilant about old habits. Keep mouth shut. #5 priority - self care and respect.

New Year's was wonderfully quiet and Kalbar went to sleep by about 9pm, or so it seemed. The gardens are coming along nicely, and we took time to reflect on what worked, what didn't, what we want to achieve this year. For me, I'm most looking forward to finishing formal study by May - and clawing back 25 - 30 hours a week to make art, be restful and have time to myself for the first time in ages. Just being in the moment without deadlines will be wonderful for a few months. I need to work on my exhibition pieces for October - and that will be sufficient to fill the next 10 months.

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It's all in the background - designing substrate

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Ali George Artist

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