Blog

   When the sun shines in January, I look forward to the promise of spring. Skies are bluer, colors are brighter, the air is clearer and warmer. Though we have a ways to go before spring, I see hope and am compelled to move forward. Since this pandemic started almost a year ago, our lives have been put on hold and I feel like I'm holding my breath. 

   As an artist, I spent a lot of time working in the studio but that motivation quickly waned. Moving forward, I'm hoping that everything that was cancelled will happen this year. There are shows to enter, decisions to be made, changes and taking steps forward. One of those forward steps was taking advantage of an invitation to be featured in SouthWest Art's landscape issue. I almost talked myself out of it for a number of reasons but I'm glad I took the steps to be featured in the February issue. The deadline was in early Dec. and I didn't have a landscape painting I liked so I took a step and got busy. "Cotton Pickin Time" is a painting of a late in the day cotton field I came upon in October in eastern NC. Getting the image and written material in on time was another obstacle but I took it one step at a time. I'm excited to see my work in a national magazine for the very first time!

   As we look forward to being free of this pandemic and look to the promise of spring, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. If you're so inclined, pick up a copy of the February issue of SouthWest Art and check out my work on page 77. "Cotton Pickin Time" is available on my website at www.annhair.com. And while you’re there, look around and see if there’s something you love. ❤️