2025 Planning
Overview
Looking back on my art planning from 2024 makes me laugh. It was quite a complicated plan of learning from different sources almost every day of the week! I’m quite the ambitious one, and I have a knack for overcomplicating EVERYTHING.
It seems like over the past year, God has been teaching Nick and me the importance of focus in all areas of life. My art practice is no exception. So I’m declaring 2025 “The Year of Learning Fundamentals with Peggi Kroll Roberts.”
I’m really excited about this, and how my flailing in 2024 has led to this point. While it looks like I had a lot of failures when I compare what I did in 2024 to what I planned, I actually feel like I’ve made a lot of mental progress. I have so much more clarity around what I want to learn and who I want to learn it from.
I just finished reading Richard Scott’s Sketching From Square One and taking detailed notes for future reference. And then I took the first of PKR’s Fundamentals classes yesterday. And it’s amazing how aligned these resources are! I’m very excited to practice what I’ve been studying with Peggi’s fun, wonky style.
I’m feeling so inspired and reminded of the importance of simple practice, instead of trying to make completed pieces all the time.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Sketchbook Prayer
Lord, thank You for the beauty You’ve put in front of me. Please help me to let loose and have fun drawing and painting things the way You’ve made me to experience them. I humbly ask for Your guidance as I aim to glorify You through the enjoyment of Your good gift of creativity. May I rest in Your ability to use imperfect things to glorify Your Great Name, rather than striving to amplify myself through the creation of “masterpieces.” Amen.
Why I Practice Art
I practice art and set art-related goals so that I can glorify God by:
Enjoying Him and His good gift of creativity
Responding in awe to His creation
Meditating on His Word through art
Sharing art with others - loving them and hopefully reminding them of God’s love for them
Pointing others to Christ with my art
Showcasing the freedom that a Biblical mindset brings to art (and all of life!)… it’s amazing how much freedom and enjoyment there is to be had when you can rest in your Father’s love, knowing your identity isn’t in things like “being an artist”
2024 Highlights
Starting this blog to track my creative growth
Traveling with art supplies, and setting up my easel on our Airstream trip to Cookeville to paint
Increasing awareness around my aesthetic style and the type of art I want to work toward making
Narrowing down the sources that I want to learn from - PKR, Sandi Hester, Orla Stevens for this year (PKR is the primary one)
Spending time thinking about the why behind my art practice
Objectives For This Website
Track my progress… it’s easy to feel like I’m not making any improvements
Reflect on what God’s teaching me through art
Easy way to scroll through and see what I’ve made in one spot
Remember what I did and how I did it, in case it’s helpful for someone else 30 years from now
Accountability (I pay for this website, so I feel silly if I’m not making art and using it)
Plan For 2025
“The goal of all goals is the glory of God.”
Habits
Daily art practice
aim for 5 days ≥ 30 minutes
minimum of 5 minutes/ day… just make a mark!
Monthly craft just for fun (Little Artists’ Room) - pick a Saturday to do this
Completion Goals
Complete 12 monthly review blogs
Contribute every Sunday, publish on last Sunday of month
Complete 31 PKR online lessons
Watch lesson on Sunday, practice throughout week
Attend PKR live collage workshop in GA
Milestone
Pick out one piece of art to have framed at the Lyons Share for my 35th birthday (Feb. 7, 2026)
Buy a pochade box?
Inputs for 2025
Skill Training
Peggi Kroll Roberts
Online lessons
Patreon
Maybe in-person workshop
Inspiration/ Just For Fun
Subscribe to PleinAir Magazine?
Sandi Hester
YouTube
Classes
Orla Stevens YouTube
Furry Little Peach YouTube
Books
Fabled Thread community/ Orla Patreon???
PleinAir Podcast
Things to Avoid
INSTAGRAM
Fixating on other people’s opinions
