Another year has come to a close. In 2023 we were finally out of the pandemic so we had more freedom. Yet Daddy died in April of this 21st century curse. Lots to unpack there. Because of this we were in Louisville in Christmas and then April, and then in August. We had a visit with Sarah, Jeff and the boys Savanah in September. Classes were overwhelming and the new student is - selfish, needy, and rude. I tried new tactics - some worked, some not, and some were too much for too little return.

But I started my art practice up again - in the mode of collage. This was started in the pandemic years but bloomed in 2023 - see @AmysBookOfDays and the “Collages” tag here. I do clumps of collages with mono-prints and photograms, cyanotype, a new returned media VanDyke Brown, along with mixed media. First there were images gathered from early references, the “water tower”series, then some detritus works Bonaire, the images with objects from a botanical garden in KY, the Speed Museum, and the State Fair, then images from Tybee Island, some self-portraits that were New York based, and ended with some still-life. I will start them in batches of stories, videos, posts in the new year. The single photographs continue. I am at no. 263.

So here are my New Year resolutions - more journaling in handwritten books, diarying every day. Make more art - at least 5 minor and 1 major collage a week - and what ever “gifting” works result. Continue the '“Year of Open Calls” (Started in October 2023). Apply to at least 3 a week but concentrate on “real life” shows or printed publications and the only online are collage challenges. No need for online “exhibitions.” Intagrams will consist of short “collage of the day” reels of single images. BUT the goal will be larger posts - with processes, on site recording of gathering, “performances,” then the resulting work. Let’s be a multi-media artist. And I will build my online followers on social. Today the “AmysBookOfDays” is at 218 followers and “SeeMeTellMeNYC” is at 1,240. Finally - I must get some exercise. I will have locations to ride and bike with a purpose - and record them and use them for art. Need to do at least three rides a week in bad or good weather.