My day job gives us very few bank holidays in return for a week and a half off in December. This has always resulted in me locking myself in my studio to paint every single idea I've had for a full year in that span. I draw, mix paint, buy more paint, stretch canvas, eat paint on accident, turn off my phone, dip my paint brush in my coffee cup, listen to a few books, and film. Then I scrub paint out of the carpet. This goes on from the weekend before Christmas to the day after New Year's.
The reason I not-so-affectionately refer to this time of the year as the December Burnout is because it's the most apt description I can offer. I usually work overtime leading up to the holidays (go federal grant deadlines!). I have sketchbooks littering every flat surface in my house that I have to catch up with. I don't really sleep out of total revenge.
This is a snippet of the great burnout of 2021. I actually burnt out. I had a whirlwind of an adventure in San Diego that really only left me three (3) days to paint. It actually made me put down art. I pushed myself way too hard.
I don't have that studio anymore. It was a two story, two bed, two bath townhouse . I loved it. But, since low income housing is predatory in nature, I had to leave to move to a shoebox apartment. I now share a "studio" space with my husband. There's been such a change in addition to accidentally hating art that I think I forgot to do the burnout last year. It's probably for the best.
This year is going to be just about the same. I am going to keep weird hours for sure. I'm definitely going to paint too many mountains. I have 6 new 11x14 panels around here somewhere. The only things I need to do this year are the following:
Paint
Paint normal sizes (no more 16x20 :( )
Frame old paintings - and note to everyone, front loading frames are smaller than the canvas of the same size and I hate it
Compile and convince people to purchase
I'll be updating the progress every few days through January 3rd. Wish me godspeed, my dudes.
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