Confession: I Hate New Year's Resolutions
It's just too much pressure for my little self to handle. I also think this time of year is already stressful enough without piling on a bunch of new habits, you know? I recently read somewhere that the month of January should be reserved for reading, eating soup, and cozying up inside... hibernating, basically. I have to agree. Save your big life changes for springtime, when everything feels new and possible, and your inner animal doesn't feel quite so fragile!
me, with my outer animal
Having said that, I do think it's good to have goals. This little business of mine has changed a lot since I started it in the winter of 2008* from a tiny Chicago apartment. If nothing else, a new year is an obvious opportunity to pause, reassess, and consider why you got into this business of art-making in the first place. With the dawn of a new year, I've set my sights on some exciting aspirations that I can't wait to share with you.
Intentions for 2024:
Create a Sketchbook Habit
A sketchbook allows you explore new artistic mediums, push the boundaries of your creativity, and challenge yourself to bring fresh perspective to your work. A sketchbook lets you play, and isn't that why you got into art-making in the first place? If you're a fellow artist looking to prioritize your sketchbook practice, I highly recommend this course by illustrator, Steph Fizer Coleman. I'll be working my way through it over the next couple of months and I can't wait to share what I've learned!Collaborative Projects
Last year, I was able to work with some amazing people and organizations -- Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Botanic Garden, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, and Baker Institute for Public Policy, just to name a few. I believe in the power of collaboration to foster new ideas and inspire innovation, and I believe we're stronger together. I'd like to continue these partnerships and create new ones with fellow artists, creators, and clients. Do you have a project you'd like to work on together? Send me a message!Update Portfolio Website
Always on the list 🙄 Did you even know I have an art and illustration portfolio?? Probably not, because I never talk about it! Well, if you're curious check it out and maybe this will encourage me to update it more regularly.Prioritize Sustainability
This is always tricky. Reducing consumption is difficult when you're a business profiting from customers who consume your goods. So what does this mean? I'd like to focus more on handmade and one-of-a-kind products, products made from environmentally-friendly materials, and products which are reusable in some way. Wooden pins? Maybe. Greeting cards which can be framed as art, or planted to produce wildflowers? Quite possibly. I honestly have a thousand ideas on this topic, it’s just a matter of time, energy, and mental focus. Thank goodness for lists. If you’re interested in some quick, easy sustainability hacks, check out this article.Animation
Expanding my creative skills to include animation just makes sense to me considering how much I love being able to tell stories with visuals. I've only experimented with animation a tiny bit thus far, but so far I've found it incredibly time-consuming and highly addictive. If you’re a Procreate user, have you tried Dreams yet? I’d love to hear what you think.Art Licensing
This is an area of the art industry I know very little about. But having the ability to license my work feels like a really important step, in terms of financial stability. The concept of "passive" income is frankly, a bullshit one, but having an available revenue stream while I'm busy doing non-income-generating things (that's a real term, right?) would be a game-changer and allow me to make more of the artwork I feel passionate about. If like me, you’re looking to dip your toes into art licensing, you might check out these courses by illustrator, Elizabeth Silver.
What Fuzzy Grapefruit Has in Store for You:
Expanded Bird Collection
Get ready for more birds! Species immediately on the docket include Ruby Throated Hummingbird, Gambel's Quail, and Tufted Titmouse. There’s a much longer list on my desktop, but these are the ones for which I’ve gotten repeat requests.Butterflies
I can't say too much just yet, but I'm in talks with a local organization to create a variety of illustrations featuring Texas butterflies. If you’re a fan of the Rhopalocera (that’s the scientific name for butterfly) I would love to hear your favorites.More Free Art
If you were around for last year's Game of Shrooms, you know I had a ton of fun creating my shroomy little art pieces and depositing them in the world for foragers to find. I'm hoping to participate again this year, as well as continue giving away free art and downloads to newsletter subscribers. Speaking of...
Wishing you a year filled with inspiration, growth, and boundless creativity!
Lots of love,
Allison
*This is the date I say Fuzzy Grapefruit officially came into existence, when I opened an Etsy shop under the same name. But like most creative endeavors, the exact point of origin is vague. It wasn't until 2010 that I became a legal entity, and it wasn't until much, much later in 2020 when I consciously made the decision to purposely focus on art and illustration as my primary occupation.