Happy 2026!

We’re four weeks in; how’s it going so far? This year feels different to me. One of the artists I follow, Nicholas Wilton, suggested choosing a word of the year. The word is a filter you run everything through during the year to help you make decisions and grow in the direction you want to go. My word this year is refinement.

refinement:

The improvement or clarification of something by the making of small changes.

This does not mean that I will start raising my pinky whilst I drink my tea, or start using words like 'whilst'. A goal I have for my art business, and really, for my creative life, is to clarify how I want to run it, what I want to say, and who I want to say it to. Sean and I are almost empty nesters. I want to improve how I communicate with him before it becomes official. Even my metabolism is, let’s say, maturing, which means I’m also refining the way I take care of myself, as well.

Refinement is what we do when we step back from a painting and ask, “What one small change would make this truer?”

Refining my layout before moving on to the next step.

I want this on a bigger canvas and I want to add a handbag.

What I like about the word refinement is that, by definition, it's the making of small changes. I don’t want to feel overwhelmed. I don’t want to overpromise to myself and end up causing performance paralysis and unnecessary negative self-talk. When I’m less than thrilled about an experience, I want to ask, “How do I want to refine this to make it a better experience?” This will help me tap into what I actually enjoy doing and what I may end up saying no to from now on. It could change the way I eat, who I spend time with, how I make my art, where and when I vacation, and how I exercise.

By the end of this year, I expect to measure the success of my word with paintings that are true to me and connect with collectors. I may have written an owner’s manual for my business. I expect to have way more laughs and adventures with Sean, and I’m still going to have the pizza for dinner, but I've decided to load up on fruits and veggies the rest of the day.

It’s true, we all fall off the horse here and there throughout the year, but having one word will make it easier to hop back on and refocus on a life that we are curating. I’m curious: what will your word be this year?

All the Best,

Gretchen Ann