Places and Paintings of 2014...My Top Picks

'North Garden in Winter'               8x10              pastel             ©Karen Margulis           sold

 I always get excited as the New Year approaches. It is a chance to makes plans for a fresh start and plan new and exciting adventures. I have some thoughts to share on planning for the new year but I like to take the week before the start of the new year to reflect on the past year. I don't think about what I didn't accomplish or what I should have or could have done. Instead I look back on all the good things that did happen.....no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.

In 2014 I accomplished some of the big goals that I had set for my art journey....and plans are underway for an even more exciting year to come. It seems that my blog 'Painting my World' is living up to it's name. It seems as though my suitcase stayed packed this year and I loved every minute of every journey.

Each trip created a breakthrough of some sort in my paintings This week I'd like to share my choices for my favorite  paintings of the past year. I chose them based upon the trip that inspired them and I will share my thoughts on how I grew on each journey.   I hope you enjoy my look back at 2014.

6x6 pastel        sold

Winter 2014.....Chicago and Snow!

Many of us will remember the winter of 2014 for it's extreme cold and abundance of snow. My year began with both with a trip to Chicago in the midst of the infamous Polar Vortex. My daughter and I traveled to Chicago for my daughter-in-law's baby shower. As usual I wished for snow and my wish was granted with a week of snow and subzero temperatures. 

I was actually in my glory as we wandered the city streets. My camera was always ready. I seemed drawn to the figure in the snowy landscape. Out of that trip came an explosion of small paintings of figures in the snow....children sledding, people walking, cityscapes with snow and lights. It was an exciting development and my interest in this motif lasted into the spring. I am feeling the pull to explore this further in 2015.

I was honored to have my Chicago winter painting 'Winter in North Garden' selected for second place in the International Exhibition of the Southeastern Pastel Society in May. It was wonderful to be recognized by our juror Liz Haywood-Sullivan and to have had three buyers fight over the painting on opening night! This painting is special for that reason.