2025. What a number! It's hard to believe how much time has passed. I remember looking ahead to 1972 - the year I graduated high school in a town of just about 300 people. Right after graduation, I set off for Madison, Wisconsin to start a job, and didn't return to school until 1980. So much has happened since then.

Through the years, I've seen both change and continuity, especially in my art. In my younger days, I didn't believe I was a good artist, so I let it go. Then, in the mid 1990s, I picked up a pencil and started drawing again. My meticulous nit-picky tenancies led me to another hiatus, but in 2013, I found my way back through watercolor.

Without ever attending a workshop or formal class, I studied relentlessly. My journey expanded into oils, leading me down many artistic rabbit holes. But ultimately, I've returned to what feels most natural: painting in a way that is true to me. No more "YouTube University." No more chasing techniques that don't resonate.

Looking back at my earliest work, I see the essence of who I've always been. My love for wildlife remains as strong as ever. They are my first friends. My preference for minimal distraction in my compositions still holds. And my commitment to painting from the heart  is unwavering.

So, as I step into 2025, I make a promise to myself: to let the noise fade and fully embrace my own creative voice. I will resist the urge to conform to external expectations and trust in my own artistic instincts.

Here's to a year of authenticity, inspiration, and painting from the soul.

Sandra