2024 has been an interesting year of changes for me. I’ve been splitting my time between my business, my work with Flare Arts, and a new part-time marketing role for a charity (which I started in Q4).
It’s been a bit of an adjustment, but these changes have been exactly what I needed. Being out and about is doing wonders for my social anxiety, and I’m loving the opportunity to work within the deaf community!
Here are some of my highlights from 2024:
1. Berlin trip
Aneurin and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in Berlin. I loved visiting the botanic garden and sampling all the vegan restaurants we could find! See some of my greenhouse photos.
2. Ceramic fun
I got creative with clay again – with countless failures – but the fact I had fun during the creations is what matters the most to me! Hopefully I’ll learn from the failures and see more successful results in 2025.
I’ve been unable to make anything with clay for the past few months because I fell on my thumb at a festival (and hurt it badly) but it’s currently healing with the help of a thumb brace! I look forward to getting back into clay in the next month or so.
3. The biggest painting I’ve worked on
After my Berlin trip, I was inspired to paint a greenhouse in A3 size – the biggest I’ve ever painted with watercolour. It was challenging but I am so pleased with the final piece.
4. Away Days conference
In 2024 I wanted to network more, so I applied for a bursary to attend the conference for deaf professionals in the arts. It was a really fun weekend – full of inspiring talks, networking sessions, workshops and panels. It was really nice to meet other artists who are deaf like me – to be able to share our experiences in the industry, with the conference fully accessible for us.
5. My framed greenhouse painting
During the bursary interview for the Away Days conference, I was invited to exhibit my work at the conference venue’s gallery wall – and I couldn’t say no!
I chose the big greenhouse painting that was my most recent painting – framed in a gorgeous dark wooden frame. It was unreal seeing people enjoying and discussing my painting on the gallery wall! I even caught some of them and introduced myself.
6. New business card design
My business card has been printed in black, on a kraft brown card, forever. I’d planned to give it a refresh but never found time. I’m glad I did, finally! It’s much more colourful and representational to my work as the front has my plant illustrations on it.
7. Sketchbook fun
I have been mindful of how I struggle to find time for daily creativity. But I found myself drawing in the sketchbooks more in 2024, and that was because I’d decided to do it without the pressure of sharing them on social media. It’s easier to get started and have fun knowing no-one is going to see them.
8. Super Seconds Festival
I love the Super Seconds Festival! I joined twice in spring and autumn. It was a great opportunity to sell my damaged stock (but not too damaged to recycle!) at a very good price, making it more accessible for some people.
9. New portfolio
I built a new portfolio page to showcase my illustrations and projects and I am so pleased with it! I also got to reminisce about my older projects and collaborations while working on it, which was really nice.
10. Flare Arts collaboration project
I have enjoyed collaborating on a piece with fellow deaf artists, Kim Waine-Thomas and Zoe Milner. I have shared a blog about my collaboration experiences and the process.
11. Faire’s Top Shop
Faire is a wholesale platform that I often use to sell my products to retailers – so much so that they rewarded me with the Top Shop badge. This means I’m in the top 10% of the brands that run a ‘world-class’ shop page with high retailer ratings, fulfilling orders quickly and smoothly. It highlights my strong organisational skills and careful quality control.
I am super proud of this achievement because these qualities were what I always and will continue to strive for in my business.
12. Nottingham Contemporary’s Print Fair
I held my first stall since 2020 with the Contemporary and it was my best one yet! I was quite nervous beforehand so I was pleasantly surprised. My washi tapes and wooden decorations went down a storm – which was nice to see because it was my first time selling those products in person.
What's in store for 2025
I don’t have a real plan for what I want my business to look like by the end of 2025, but while I am still adjusting to the second job, I want to have fun with ceramics again (once my injured thumb finally heals!) and continue my sketchbook explorations.
In 2024, I also made a real effort to take care of my mental health, and I plan to keep that up. I have an exciting private commission lined up too – and a new product idea brewing in my head (and in my ‘design ideas’ sketchbook!).
I hope you had a fantastic year, and I wish you a 2025 that’s exactly what you want it to be. Thank you so much for your continued support!