A new year, a fresh start

The new year has started. Although I like a new beginning, I'm not really into partying big on new year's eve. I like to keep it small and quiet, enjoying the closure of a year.

2011 was a year of survival. I didn't talk about it much on my blog but my mom got very ill in May 2011. She was in a coma for 9 days and has been rehabilitating since. She's doing quite well now, considering what she's been through. It made a huge impact on me. My friends tell me: "2011 was a bad year, wasn't it?". No, it wasn't. It was a year where my mother got very ill but also the year she survived and got to live, which wasn't completely expected.

2011 was also the year I first saw myself as an illustrator. In 2010 I got my first assignment for an educational publisher but in 2011 I had my first exhibition of my work (in total my work was in 4 exhibitions this year), my first assignment for a picture book and even more great assignments throughout the year. My work was even published in a great magazine. That was the cherry on top. :) I did a workshop 'writing for children' and I got started on writing my first picture book. I'm not in a hurry to finish it. I want to take time to get this right.

When I was lying in bed last night I thought: "What would I really like for 2012?". A few things actually:
- I would like to develop myself as an illustrator and become better.
- I hope to make a bit of a living as an illustrator but I don't want to stress about it too much.
- I want to enjoy small things more. Go on hikes and citytrips. That kind of stuff.



What I've learned from 2011: you can plan all you want but life is something that happens to you. You don't have a say in what's going to happen, you can only steer and tweak it a bit while you're at it.

Thank you for sticking with me, I appreciate that beyond words. I would like to hear your thoughts on 2011 and for the new year. I hope for many good things in 2012 for all of you!

Love,
Marloes