Note: This has been cross-posted on ko-fi and on Medium.
2023 was a very full year with a few big projects done in tandem with other organizations. It was also the year that I finally felt I had a career again for the first time since the 2015 onset of ME/CFS. Here are some of my plans for this coming year, with the caveat that they are all fate-permitting since I never know what my body might do.
Works in Progress
I have three main practices—embroidery, music, and writing—and have ongoing projects in each. My main embroidery project is a very large vagus nerve piece, my main music project is a composition/recording titled The Hum, and my main writing project is writing poems based on my notes from Deb Dana’s polyvagal theory audio course.
Of these three WIPs, The Hum is the closest to completion so I’ll likely release it this year. I am reticent to say that finishing the other two projects are a goal for 2024 because I find that sort of pressure doesn’t work well for my creative process. This is also why I don’t do commissions. I work much more focusedly when I can just engage in the creative process itself rather than working to a deadline.
Stretch/Frame my Embroideries
Even though I’m working large these day so I’m not creating as many pieces, my pile of completed embroideries is quite large. Last fall I signed all my older pieces and am currently gathering the materials I need to block and stretch them on matboard. I’ll start with a couple smaller pieces to see how energy-intensive this process is and whether or not it makes sense for me to do the work myself or shop it out.
Set up my Ko-fi shop
I’ve started this already, but figuring out shipping rates may involve going in person to the post office which requires some planning so I don’t push myself into a flare. Once that’s done, I have prints, postcards, books, and DVDs to sell. And perhaps some digital downloads in the future.
Embroidery Patterns
I’m in the process of making a pattern for my mitosis sampler in a different colourway for each season. I’ve never even used an embroidery pattern before so making one from scratch has required a bit of research. It’s going well, so I hope to have this done and available soon.
My main focus last year was to start disseminating my creative work more regularly, and I would say I was quite successful with that. Some of these plans are a continuation of that work.
Even with my chronic illnesses and associated fatigue the impetus to make art is very strong in me. So even though I work slowly, I do work consistently. If you’d like to keep up with my work, you can follow me on social media, on ko-fi, on Medium, or via an RSS feed of my blog.
May the coming year be full of creativity and ease for everyone, everywhere.