Welcome 2023 ~ Keep Going and Trust the Process

 Welcome 2023 and Happy New Year everyone! Thank you to everyone who supported my small business this year. It is truly appreciated. After a relaxing Christmas break, I'm looking forward to seeing what 2023 will bring.

I am not going to lie, 2022 was a difficult year for me. I had many personal challenges as well as business ones. I left the family home, moved in with my brother and faced uncertainty of how I was going to support myself.

Starting employment again after working for myself for 12 years was a huge challenge but I knew I needed the stable income alongside building up the art business. I've made some fabulous friends who I wouldn't have known otherwise and they have helped my along my journey this year. 

I'm sure I've done many more sketches and got out and about a lot in 2022 and now I'm trying to learn to use these sketches to produce final pieces to sell. I love the outdoors and want to bring the beauty back for you all.

By far the biggest part of my art business has been The Mucky Duck collective. We restructured and started to work towards being a creative place for artisans to be supported in their work and business. But then we were devastated when our lease was not renewed. Excitement again when we secured a shop in Morpeth, only to be let down again when it fell through.

Thankfully for me, a few commissions came in at the end of the year but we will be looking for new premises this year. Unfortunately I don't seem to have too much traction with online selling and there's nothing like seeing and feeling the products for yourself in person.

This painting is one which I did from sketches after a few hours spent at Big Waters. I'm really pleased with the result but I wasn't sure where it was going to begin with. I stuck it out and learnt that you need to just keep going and trust the process. The same applies with life...so I'll do just that!

Hoping that 2023 brings you peace, joy and happiness!

Thank you,

Gillian xx