2024 - Finding an Artist Community

Paintings and sketches from late 2024.

I took a bit of a break from painting in 2024 while going from 1 kid to 2, but below are a few images I can share from that year.

Holiday Cacti

I took one virtual watercolor class¹ where we painted holiday cacti. I’ve given the originals away but here is how they turned out.

Two versions. The first I was able to snap a few progression shots. The second I only have the final. Definitely getting pickle vibes...

First Sketch Group

In late 2024 I also joined a local sketch group that meets weekly. It has been one of the most invigorating and motivating things to keep me painting and sketching. I love seeing the other sketchers’ artwork, hearing all about the supplies they use and classes they take, and for a portion of each meeting just chatting about life.

Initially, I thought the sketch group was going to be sharing weekly sketches that everyone had completed in pencil. In my mind “sketch” meant quick, scratchy pen-lines… but the group had formed a year or two earlier and by this point they’d moved on to more formal projects. Everyone was working in a uniform sketchbook, and the theme of each book was “Memoir.”²

I now know that “sketch” can be used to describe many different kinds of art. It seems, at least, that a sketch mostly refers to a rough or unfinished version—something that might lead to a more final version later.

Even though it was a very specific notebook, everyone brought their own unique vision and talents to their project. Some were painted, others collaged, some with writing, others just images. I was planning to go “vulnerable,” but once I found out they had a show scheduled in which our artworks would be witnessed by the public, I retreated. I got nervous to put anything too personal in the book. I was also afraid I’d be bad. Not an artist. All the other books were already so stunning.

Eventually I tried to let it all go. Just put something on the page. This book could have turned out very differently, but I’m still happy with it in the end. Some of the sketches are ok, others are meh, but I practiced watercolor—I made something, and it was fun.

2024-25 Sketchbook - “Memoir”

Cover

Blurb

Self

On the left I am Jo March. On the right I am a black hole.

Fuji/Japan

1) Open spread 2) Horizontal view of fuji + sakura 3) In-progress view with reference photo 4) First sketch of fuji + sakura practice run... On the left I am in Japan. On the right I am "ichigo ichie," living life right now, every moment fleeting, every meeting and every moment one-of-a-kind.

Pets

Home

On the left is my childhood home. On the right is the home we live in now, the only image in the sketchbook not done in watercolor.

Communication

Left - ways in which I used to communicate. Right - ways in which I communicate now.

Malta/Journal

Views

I shared the right page at one meeting, expressing that it was not yet finished. Group members encouraged me to leave it as it was—incomplete, imperfect on purpose.

Outdoors

Music

-Lana

1. The Holiday Cacti class was offered through the Tucson Botanical Garden. They have other virtual watercolor classes listed here!

2. The sketchbook we used for this project was Hahnemühle The ZigZag Book A6.

Edit 10/10/25:
You’ll find the 2025 Group Sketch project here: