#51: A Christmas Thank You — and Looking Ahead

It’s been a little while since my last blog post, and with the year coming to a close it feels like the right moment to pause, reflect, and say thank you.

This has been my first full year working consistently from the studio, and it’s been a big one. A year of learning how I work best, of experimentation, frustration, breakthroughs, and slowly building a practice that feels grounded and intentional. Spending that much time with the work has changed how I think about painting — not just as finished pieces, but as a process that unfolds day by day.

Thank You for the Support

I want to say a genuine thank you to everyone who has supported me this year. Whether you’ve followed my work online, read the blog, shared posts, sent messages, or simply taken the time to engage with what I’m making — it’s meant more than I can easily put into words.

Working in the studio can be a quiet, solitary thing, and knowing that people are interested in the journey as much as the outcomes has made a real difference. That encouragement has carried me through moments of doubt and helped me stay committed when the work felt uncertain.

Closing the Year with Work Completed

As the year draws to an end, I’ve reached an important milestone: my self-portrait submission for the HSFK Portrait Award 2026 is finished. Completing it felt like closing a chapter — one that’s been shaped by a lot of thought, testing, and careful decision-making.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing parts of that process gradually, letting the work reveal itself in stages. It feels like a nice way to reflect on the journey the painting took, rather than rushing straight to the end result.

Looking Ahead to the New Year

With one major piece completed, my focus is already turning to what’s next. I’m beginning to prepare for my Portrait Artist of the Year 2026 submission in February, which brings with it a fresh set of questions and challenges. It’s exciting to feel that sense of momentum carrying forward into the new year — new ideas, new work, and new opportunities to grow.

Season’s Wishes

So, as the year comes to a close, I just want to wish you a peaceful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Thank you again for being part of this first full year in the studio — your support has genuinely helped shape it.

Here’s to more painting, more curiosity, and more time in the studio in 2026.

.M.

Be real.

Make art.

If you’d like to learn more about my creative process or see my latest work, feel free to reach out or check out the rest of my website.