Things of Note, 2022

January 1, 2023

A grid of twenty photos taken throughout the year. They include: a tabby cat; feet of a bride and groom on cobblestone; a orange wall and bikes; several notes; one of which says "You can do hard things"; a pine tree that looks like it's giving multiple middle fingers, and an arm and hand giving the middle finger back to the tree; a purple flower; the sign at Pike's Market in Seattle; a pile of mixed media ICAD cards; a stone with the message "Sing for joy" written on it; a digital collage; a backlit orange flower; the sign to the German embassy; a very happy sleeping cat; the ocean; red autumn leaves against a blue sky; board game pieces; details of a mixed media piece; a storefront at the beach; river ice; trees in fog.

As I wrote in my December newsletter, 2022 was a year of extremes. I feel like I’ve seen the bare bones of life: joyful new beginnings and bittersweet endings, the importance of community and togetherness, and the knowledge that nothing lasts forever.

The highlight of the year, by far: getting married in a perfect, intimate ceremony in Denmark. DIY wedding dress alterations. A surprise send-off. Hives of anticipation! Burgers in Copenhagen. Calling my mom while getting ready. Swans. Sushi. Cake. Family calls + screenshots. The very best weekend that has sustained us for an entire year.
Deepening friendships and leaning into belonging and unconditional love. Ani’s kindness and support. Fake tattoos and Schitt’s Creek. Bethany Beach. Wing night. Madeline at the splashpad. Reconnecting with old friends. Chimney swifts. Assateague. Dinners with my crew. Art-making at R. House. AVAM.
Rituals and habits: family game days. Art nights with Viv. The second full year of using a logbook. Running. Blogging daily for a whole month. Visiting the deer. Keeping a commonplace book. 1SE for an entire year. Learning to slow down, and remembering that small, consistent actions are the key to sustainability.
Our wedding reception in July. Seattle. Kayaking. Trash talking over MarioKart. Celebrating with family and friends; wedding speeches. Visiting Grandma. Smartfood and flirting and escape attempts.
Challenging lows. Biopsies and scary medical news and surgery. “Wait to panic.” Two grandparents diagnosed with cancer. Waiting and waiting and waiting for a visa. Packing up a whole home. Losing a perfect apartment.
A rich year of art, including two finished two art journals. Out of Order. Joan Mitchell exhibit at the BMA, twice. ICAD. Doing a collaboration with Max Devereaux. Being a featured artist for Under the Influence Art Journaling. Making so many new connections with artists online and in person.
Building new skills, including Photoshop and Illustrator. Playing with digital collage. Trying out Mastodon (and loving it). Launching my newsletter. Learning to use a Gelli plate.
Witnessing loved ones’ highs and lows. Pets traveling over the rainbow bridge. Multiple relationships ending. Mom’s 60th birthday. Ani’s wedding. Dad’s new kitten. A surprise promotion. Remembering that life is deeply precious and equally precarious.