Switching Gears for 2018.

"In Depth No. 1" given to a friend in 2017
Pen and ink on heavy paper

My goal for the second half of 2017 (after I finished my master's degree) was to read two books a week for the rest of the year. For the most part I achieved the goal but toward the end of the year it got tough to maintain the momentum with all the family functions and holiday celebrations. I just kept at it and did my best. I learned that I could manage quite a bit of reading if I simply made reading a priority and kept reading materials readily accessible.

The problem is that reading is not exactly a group activity, and my family was sort of wondering when I was going to eventually come up for air. So for 2018 I decided to focus on a goal that won't alienate others and might even engage my kids and family even more.

I have declared 2018 The Year of Creativity, to bring art back into my life in a big way. In the past few years I've been working on an art project here and there. It's been catch-as-catch-can, but I'm no novice. My parents are artists, so I was immersed in art classes from birth. One of my earliest memories was being in my dad's art studio in our Philadelphia house, taking in the mayhem of creativity, poking globs of clay, and smelling photo developer fluid. My mom is an Origami fiend and has taught classes for years at libraries and art centers alike.

So I started my Etsy shop - BrightEyedCrafts - to post and sell the things I create. Also, Mr. Fussypants is an accomplished photographer (see https://sailorstrek.com/) and he hasn't marketed his work quite as much as he should. I hope you'll come to visit my Etsy store and if something strikes your fantasy, please pick it up. Everything I post will be an Es Curtis or Mr. Fussypants original.

My newly cleaned desk and a few works in progress.

This is not the end of this blog. I still have a few books to finish - those authors have sent me - and I will finish reading, reviewing, or featuring their books on my blog. Also, reading is a huge part of my life, so I'll continue to read and post what I read, though not in such a rapid fire approach.

I appreciate all of your support in 2017, and hope you will continue to follow me as I switch gears and move into a new chapter of my life.

Thanks, all... and Happy New Year. May 2018 live up to all of our expectations.