Halfway Through the Year

It's hard to believe we're already into the second half of the year.

When January began, I was still recovering from breaking my right wrist at the end of November. Since it's my dominant hand, I wasn't sure how quickly I'd get back to drawing or what my creative year would look like.

A few days into July, I stopped to count the pieces I've finished so far this year.

Sixteen mandalas.

Honestly, that surprised me.

When you're creating one piece at a time, it doesn't always feel like you're accomplishing much. You spend hours focused on tiny details, moving from one line to the next, and it's easy to lose sight of how much you've actually created over time. Looking back at the collection together was a reminder that small, consistent effort adds up.

One of my favorite parts of drawing is settling into a rhythm. I usually have something playing in the background while I work. Lately it's been documentaries—especially Life After People. I like shows I can drift in and out of without worrying about missing an important plot point. They keep me company while I focus on the patterns taking shape on the page. Maybe I'm the only one who works that way, but it makes the hours disappear.

As I look ahead to the rest of the year, I'm feeling grateful. Grateful that my wrist healed, grateful that I was able to return to creating, and grateful for everyone who has followed along, encouraged me, or welcomed one of my pieces into their home.

Here's to making the second half of the year even better than the first!

A new piece from this year, one step at a time, this one took me a few months to complete