New Year, New Resolutions

In case you live in a cave and no one has said this to you yet: Happy New Year!!! My first day of 2011 was filled with brilliant friends, hilariously bad tarot predictions, Enzo’s Pizza, and Easy A, so I feel like I’m off to a good start already.

Since I’m not the type of person who makes “lose weight and go to the gym”-type resolutions, I figured my goals would be professional, rather than personal, as usual.

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven, I, Annie Beth Ericsson, resolve to:

1. Finish revising and send out 1 picture book dummy every 3 months (at least April 1, July 1).

2. Keep a single sketchbook for the whole year.

3. Consider getting an agent. Like, actually research/do something about it.

4. Read at least 2-3 YA/middle grade novels per month, and go read new picture books in a store/library at least once a month.

5. Produce something creative/artistic every week that brings me closer to developing my personal style.

And… last but not least, continue to blog here 2-3 times a week (holidays notwithstanding)!

Since graduating, my 2010 year was all about finding balance – not pressuring myself to accomplish everything at once, unraveling the art-school mentality of constantly doing art for a deadline.  I had to learn not to feel guilty for wanting to relax, to be spontaneous and have a bit of fun.

But now I’ve chilled out significantly, and I’m worried that if I don’t pick up the pace now, I’ll tip the scales and become an unmotivated lump.  So, 2011 is all about working with passion!  Vigor!  Verve!  Time to get moving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, folks!  This week, I received my Moleskine in the mail for the Sketchbook Project 2011, a nationwide tour of thousands of themed sketchbooks submitted by artists.  I signed up just in time, and as someone who doesn’t regularly keep a sketchbook, it sounded like a cool exercise for the next two months.  My theme?  Happy thoughts!

Before I got into brainstorming concepts and drawing away, I thought I’d celebrate the holiday by writing a list: everything that makes me happy.  Free association. In no particular order.  It was a lot of fun, and as I look it over now, I couldn’t be more grateful to have all these things – and especially, people – in my life.

What’s on your list?  As we head into the holiday season, count the things you’re grateful for . . . I’m sure there are plenty of reasons to be happy today!