As the final months of 2025 unfold, there’s a unique energy in the air. It’s a time of transition, a natural pause between the vibrant activity of summer and the quiet introspection of winter. Before we leap headfirst into the clean slate of 2026, I want to invite you to do something profoundly beneficial for your creative spirit: conduct a gentle, generous review of your artistic year.
This is not a performance review or a judgement day. There are no passes or fails here. Think of it instead as a creative inventory – a way to sit down with your inner artist, have a cup of tea, and simply listen to what the past ten months have been trying to tell you.
Your Gentle Guide to a 2025 Creative Inventory
Step 1: Gather Your Evidence
Start by bringing your year into one view. Create a digital folder on your computer, titled “2025 Art”, and gather photos of every finished piece, every satisfying sketchbook page, and even those half-finished experiments. Scroll back through your Instagram grid or your phone’s camera roll. There’s no need for harsh curation; the goal is to see the full spectrum of your output.
Step 2: Look for the Emotional Threads
Now, look at your collected work not with a critical eye for technique, but with an open heart for feeling. Ask yourself:
Where did I see my core themes emerge? (For me, this is always about ‘hugs’ and connection through colour and circle).
Which piece (or pieces) felt like the most authentic expression(s) of my voice this year? Why does it/they resonate so deeply?
When did I feel most joyful, most ‘in the flow,’ and completely lost in the act of creation?
These questions aren’t about judging the work’s quality but about understanding what fuels you. Your answers are a compass pointing toward your true creative north.
Step 3: Celebrate Every Milestone (Big and Small)
We are often too quick to dismiss our achievements. It’s time to change that. Your milestones are uniquely yours. Did you finally master a tricky technique with gold leaf? Did you sell your first painting to a stranger? Did you have the courage to submit work to an open call? Or did you simply manage to protect your studio time during a busy period? Write them down. Acknowledge your growth. This practice builds confidence and momentum.
Step 4: Identify the Learning
Every piece, successful or not, holds a lesson. Was there a technical challenge you overcame? Perhaps you finally understood how to prepare a canvas for oils without fear. Maybe you discovered that a certain colour palette drains your energy. What did you learn about how you don’t like to work? This insight is invaluable – it prevents you from repeating energy-draining patterns.
Step 5: The ‘Let Go’ List
Perhaps the most liberating part of this process is deciding what you will not carry into the new year. What one expectation, comparison, or unresolved frustration can you gratefully leave behind in 2025? Making a conscious choice to release this weight creates space for new, inspiring energy to flow in.
Treat all these insights lightly. They are not a rigid verdict on your year, but a beautiful, messy, and deeply personal map of your journey. In a post coming soon, we’ll use this map to chart a course for an inspired and intentional 2026. But for now, just sit with your accomplishments. You’ve earned it.
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