Thanks for coming alongside for the journey for yet one more yr. This one was fairly action-packed, beginning with a winter break in Hawaii, adopted inside every week by my first workshop in India in January.

That is the yr I had the honour of being a Artistic Ambassador to the Metropolis of San Jose, main sketchwalks across the metropolis all yr spherical. Extra on that right here.

It was a yr of weird climate, of waking as much as heavy snow in all of the mountains round San Jose In February (You need to stay right here to know the way unusual that’s) and storms knocking down large timber all by means of March.

I served on a Grand Jury this yr, for 4 weeks, and thru all the times of the trials, I sketched every little thing that I noticed and heard right into a sketchbook I knew I might by no means {photograph} or take out of courtroom. I’ve no proof to point out for it, however I can let you know it was fairly eye-opening to take a look at my portraits of individuals on the stand and see how a lot of my ideas may very well be learn in them.

In April, I took my daughter to take a look at faculties so she might resolve which one to go to. We did every week of driving with stops from Arizona, to So Cal, Central Coast, after which again dwelling. Each night time was one other motel that seemed similar to the earlier one!

The upside of loopy rain in February and March? A superbloom in April and Could!

I spent 4 weeks in the summertime touring wiht my youngsters in Europe. It was a really particular journey that I’ll keep in mind for a very long time!

Come September, and child #1 left for faculty at UC Davis. I nonetheless discover it unusual that she’s not dwelling.

I had an unplanned 2-week journey to Morocco to show a workshop in October, which was fairly an journey!

And I got here dwelling and did a demo with Sketch View World Tour which you’ll watch right here.
And I lastly wrote that publish about my sketchkit right here.

It was one other yr by which my sketching household turned up for me, conserving me on observe , reminding me it was time to go sketch the iris earlier than they have been gone, or spending days collectively experimenting with new supplies.

I missed life drawing many of the yr, however joined a completely unbelievable session with the Bay Space Fashions Guild on the finish of the yr and plan to go extra usually in 2024.

And that is the yr a bunch of you joined me for month-to-month sketching periods on zoom the place we made artwork collectively and realized a lot from one another. I’m trying ahead to a lot extra of that in 2024!

I ended the yr with a couple of days at Joshua Tree Nationwide Park with my son and simply received dwelling in time to hitch some mates for New Yr’s Eve tonight. ( I depart as quickly as I end this up and publish it!)

It’s been a whirlwind of a yr, however a fairly superior one. And in simply 4 days, I head again to India to show the 2024 model of my workshop, and see my mother and father.

To all of you who observe alongside on this loopy journey, write in and share your ideas, be part of on substack, thanks a lot! Wishing you peace, happiness and adventures in 2024.