Oh my goodness, we have done so much this year! In the Academy and the wonderful community, in my self-development and goals, and the announcement of some amazing plans for 2023.

The Academy Celebrated it’s 1st Birthday

So many wonderful things have happened in the Academy this year. The big one being, we celebrated our 1st Birthday in September, and it’s been truly amazing to welcome more than 1800 lovely Academy Members over the last year. To be able to help and watch their confidence grow as coloured pencil artists, and see them realise their dreams has been absolutely wonderful. I am so proud of how supportive the community is, and to be able to see it keep growing is incredible, and even more exciting is the welcoming of some new members to the Academy when the doors next open in January. If you would like to be a part of the Academy and are not yet signed up to our waitlist, you can sign up here.

Announcements

This year has seen the announcement of our exciting new virtual exhibition for the members of the Academy to showcase their fabulous artwork and have the opportunity to sell them, if that’s what they want to do. The first exhibition is going to be early in the new year, with a new exhibition every few months, to be able to showcase as many of the members’ wonderful artworks as possible.

We have also announced the start of the Academy Awards, in 2023, where we will be able to really shine a light on the truly amazing people we have in the Academy and their achievements. A huge part of the Academy is being able to recognise both your own and others’ accomplishments, whether those are developing your artwork, your business or personal development, so this will be a lovely way to do that.

I Started a Podcast

March saw the start of my Podcast, which I have really enjoyed being able to do and of course, it means I get to sit and have a good chat with so many amazing and inspiring people. I am so lucky to be able to surround myself with so many wonderful, diverse people from all over the world, and then have a platform to be able to share their stories with others. To catch up on any of the episodes, you can find them here.

Changes and New Ventures!

I have started writing a new book this year, which isn’t about art specifically, but about me and how I have gotten to where I am today, honestly the happiest I have ever been. My hopes are that I will be able to help people by talking about what I have been through and what has helped me along my journey, and actually, it has been incredibly cathartic to sit and write everything down.

I have a great team of people around me and it has expanded this year with us welcoming Louise, who is just fabulous and more recently Amy, and of course we can’t forget my new little puppy Dora. The garden studio is another new addition where Amy and Lucy now work, looking across the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, I may need to kick them out and steal it for myself! I have been able to create a home I am so incredibly proud of, which I just wouldn’t have believed was possible 6 years ago when I started my art journey and I am so looking forward to what 2023 will bring.

I want 2023 to be an amazing year for everyone. A year to really go after your dreams and make them a reality because at the end of the day I am just an ordinary single mum and I am so so proud of what I have been able to achieve. If an ordinary single mum like me can do it, then there is no reason you can’t too, so just go for it!