Hello beautiful snowflakes,
Here in Texas, January brings with it mystery. We wonder if we’ll get sunshine or snow and never really know. This year it’s a mixture of both warm days and snow flurries. On cold days one of my favorite things to do is jump into a warm bath and soak. Ah, there’s nothing quite like it. So this month’s illustration is dedicated to just that.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how wonderful it has been to work in my garage studio (my friend Mati has so wonderfully renamed the G-spot) creating art throughout the ups and downs of this topsy-turvy year. Here are some highlights of 2021…
My word of the year was: Capacity
I wasn’t sure how this word would impact me this past year but I think it's fair to say my new puppy increased my capacity to love another being with my whole heart. Greyson Sawyer is our Giant Schnauzer and he’s filled places inside my heart I didn’t know were empty. He loves to wrestle, drink out of the bathroom faucet, and immediately took over my new yoga mat. We call him Professor Grey on days he wears this nerdy sweater. I’m still working on getting him to join me in the studio regularly but what a gift he is.
Something I’m especially proud of:
I sent out more than 400 handmade ornaments this season to wholesale partners and individual collectors all around the world. I totally geek out about the places my creations get to travel to. It feels like foreshadowing and that someday I will meet them there. Just for kicks, here’s a sales map I colored in to show all the places they’ve traveled to this year.
My favorite collaboration…
I was so excited to do another fundraiser for Earth Day 2021. This year myself and a group of artist friends auctioned off hand-painted globes to raise money for Our Wellness Community in Dallas, TX. Together we were able to donate more than $2000.00 to this amazing organization. The proceeds supported their efforts to renovate a new/bigger building and provide continued and affordable healthcare to women and children in our area.
I have to say another HUGE THANK YOU to the artists who donated their time and talent to make this event a success:
Lauren Williams @laurenwilliamsart
Cortney Herron @cortneyherron
Lily Sol @lilysolstudio
Kayla Weber Nord @kaylaweberart
Emily Jeffords @emily_jeffords
Piper Bridwell @piperbstudio
Kim Christopher @kimchristopherart
Check out my story highlights @nikkicadestudio to see all the contributors artwork!
My most hearted post of 2021 (and what this tell me..)
Wow! It’s so fun to see what resonates the most with you. This was my most loved post of 2021 and I think this tells me that you love celebrating successes. My collectors and followers are some of the most generous and kind hearted folks I’ve ever met and I am continually encouraged by you to stay true to my art and what I want to share with the world. Thank you SO much for all the likes, comments, and shares. You are appreciated!
Some sweet notes from you all (email, comments, etc.):
“OMG. SHE’s Soooooooo perfect!!! My niece LOOOOOOVES animals! Thank YOU, Nikki!!! I feel so FULL! This is just so special. When she was a baby, we almost lost her around Christmas. She was having a hard time breathing. She’s our miracle girl and this specially crafted Bryn doll means so much to have from you. THANK YOUUU!!!” ~SahFyhr
“My amazing, beautiful ornaments came today. I cried when I opened them. They are a gift or someone incredibly dear to me. Thank you so much for sharing your talents with all of us!” Maggie
A page from my sketchbook:
So technically this isn’t my personal sketchbook. It’s the sketchbook I keep to show my students how to set up theirs. This is the beginning of our construction unit and I thought I’d share it here because frankly it’s inspired me to do a better job of keeping a sketchbook and recording my ideas and processes better AND actually sharing things with you. Documentation is such an important part of an art practice and this year I want to “nurture” spending time in my own.
A book, subscription service, and I app I highly recommend are:
We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers: Yes, Rachel. We should.
Something Special by Brother Vellies: Because who doesn’t like artisan handmade goodness?
Annnnd
The Loòna App: It’s like an amazing interactive coloring book adventure. You're anxiety and insomnia will thank you.
A new word and intention for 2022:
I’ve been feeling called lately to the word Nurture/Nurturing. Defined as: to care for and encourage the growth or development of. This year I really want to nurture the people in my life, my dog, my career, and spend time writing more and sharing with you all. I want to see growth in many areas and I believe one way to see this manifest is to water my garden.
Let’s step into 2022 with power and confidence. Knowing that the grass is always greener where we water it. Take inventory of what we already have and spend time nurturing the things that are important to us. Sending you all love and light this beautiful January. May it be filled with the highest vision for yourself.