We often struggled with creating our own New Year’s Resolutions, so this year, Jasper turned to creators themselves to see what they hoped for their 2023s. Hoping you take as much inspiration from these as we as did!
Artists shared the simple but deep desire to create more, from the general to the specific:
“To sketch everyday” – Laura Garner Hine
“To create more art, see more art and share more art” – Keith Tolen
“To create a fresh collection of meaningful works to show by the end of the year.” – Ashley Herring Warthen
“To be more consistent and spend time in the studio every day.” – Olga Yuhkno
“To sketch a few times each week even though I am working a regular job and still in school.” – Heather Lynn Endicott
“To complete my translation of Havamal, and put together the video where I tell the story.” – Price Lassahn-Worrell
Some artists addressed the desire to return to unfinished projects – with both earnest desire and humor:
“To finish a few of the many unfinished works sitting in my studio. To find creative inspiration and spurs.” – B.A. Hohman
“My 2023 New Year's resolution is to finish all the craft projects from 2022 that I should have done in 2021, since I started them in 2020 after buying the supplies for them in 2019.” – Valerie Lamott
A recurrent theme was the desire to stop listening to the nagging voice in the back of our minds that tries to scare us or quiet us:
“To be less critical of my art and to be more open to ideas flowing in and reconnect with my inner voice.” Renee Rouillier
“To override my inner critic and follow my intuition.” – Ginny Meret
Similarly, artists shared a desire for understanding of themselves and the space they occupy:
“To respect the fact that life brings changes and art sometimes has to occupy a different position on the list of priorities.” – Mary Ann Haven
“To paint more of what I WANT to paint.” – Sean Madden
“To paint and write (about my daily experiences, culture, and cooking) on a daily basis in 2023. I could not manage to paint or write regularly in 2022 although I realize and internalize how painting and writing are effectively helpful to my inner peace and well-being (my mental health) and nurture my inner child.” – Khin Myat
The desire for self-exploration came up again and again:
“To explore new mediums, to be more vulnerable, to be more generous.” – Lucy Bailey
“To delve deeper into the world of sound & rhythm by availing myself of educational opportunities. The goal being to broaden and enhance my understanding of how sound affects us and to incorporate that knowledge into my craft.” – Dick Moons
“To play with more mix media, experiment more with oils, delve into interchangeable art with my business partner Barry wheeler who always pushes me to keep exploring.” – Michael Krajewski
“To allow Artist-Self more Exploration of Shadow Self//privately (perhaps publicly) …let those kids merge—dissolve some things and mend some others, all the while being colorful, honest and vulnerable through visual & written prophetic blabber!” – Emily Wright
And, artists expressed a desire to grow within a community, with goals for unity and collaboration:
“1. Listen to people more and work on humility as well as developing healthy, in person relationship that encourage aggressive kindness. 2. Help cultivate and create a culture of collaboration with “Columbia-Centric" artists from all mediums in order to reinforce a positive art infrastructure. 3. Finish writing and producing three original albums. 4. Stay clean and sober. 5. Serve the city.” – Saul Seibert
“To see, and be a part of, more collaboration with artists and our communities. Utilizing our talents and materials to create and unify....” – Gina Langston Brewer
The common message among these various goals is this: create what you want to create, create whenever you can, and create in constellations. The act of making something, of there now being something where there once was nothing, may often be simple, but it is magical. Go into 2023 treating yourself with grace and with the open-mind and willingness to create something where there wasn’t something before.
And Happy New Year—from all of us!