2020 has been a tough year!
The COVID Chaos has brought on such an emotional, physical and mental upheaval to our lives that it’s hard to find those moments when you feel like you’re NOT losing at life. After stopping to look hard at the possible wins throughout the year, I did find some.
Here are my ‘Small Victories’ of 2020:
My dream to immerse myself in Antoni Gaudí’s vision came true when I went to Barcelona for Christmas/New Years 2019/20. This alone had set me up for the year. It inspired me to keep going despite the trials and tribulations of 2020.
I first discovered the French Architect Jean Nouvel when I went to The Louvre, Abu Dhabi, and immediately fell in love with his style. Being so tunnel visioned with Gaudí in Barcelona though, I had no idea that I would be standing in front of yet another of Jean Nouvel’s masterpieces, the Torre Glòries. What a brilliant surprise!
Being so incredibly inspired by Barcelona and beginning to get my creative mojo back, I started a blog in January. Despite all odds I have managed to keep it going. For me…this is no small feat. Musings of the Modernist Mind is me exploring the creative world and simply sharing my experience.
Whilst researching and reading all things creative to write my blog, I discovered Frida Kahlo. Blimey! This woman!!! Her drive, her ambition, her tenacity to unapologetically be herself was a HUGE eye opener for me in so many ways. She was a force and inspired me to live differently.
As I had channeled my inner Frida, I began to put myself out there more on Twitter and Instagram. I became more confident showing my work and expressing my opinion and that really paid off. Influential creatives who have already peaked in their career became silent voices of encouragement with social media acknowledgement.
I immersed myself in the world of social media. Through podcasts, interviews, posts and tweets, I realised that so many creatives out there are actually self taught and some didn’t follow the path of university. This gave me the courage to overcome my fear of not being good enough and write my blog An Autodidact. For so many years it was a subject of shame.
DJ Bobby Friction, who I have been listening to on BBC Asian Network for so many years, reposted my drawing on Instagram all because of a passing comment about my sketch reminding me of him. If I take anything from this, no matter how small a fish you are in the ocean there will be those who see you, especially if they’re tagged.
I sold my first art piece! Yay me! I love Dalí and initially did this piece for my own amusement but when I shared it on Facebook a school friend from the days of yore loved it so much he had to have it. It now hangs proudly in his home.
I have been following @arch.calderon on Instagram for over a year now. When the opportunity to enter into one of his architecture competitions arose and having been to Barcelona at the beginning of the year, I couldn’t resist. Number 32 – I may not have won but my photograph was being seen by hundreds of architecture lovers…that was enough for me!
I attended so many exhibits online such as Gentileschi and Turner but my highlight was being able to see Wes Anderson at the Adobe Max Creative Conference – Arrrghhhh!!! If you do read my blog posts, you’ll know how much I loved The Grand Budapest Hotel. The symmetry, composition, colour palette and movement of his movies are such a visual feast that I can’t get enough.
Income wise, it was a hugely disappointing year but I was still lucky enough to get my one and only client of 2020. Luckier still, that the client was a designer’s dream – minimal edits, paid on time and so gracious and happy at the end.
2020 was also a year I upgraded from a studio wall to a studio room. We moved home and I finally got the space I needed to be me!
With all the doom and gloom of the year I would often escape into the comfort of creativity and so I started #InspireEmpowerRepeat each month to share my love for other creatives’ work. Even if the Creative Love – Monthly Feature stopped someone in their tracks for a fleeting moment, it could make a small difference in their day.
Blimey! Having read back on this blog, I think I did alright!
How about you? Can you find some ‘2020 Small Victories’?