Maureen Fechik
Self Portrait

New Year’s Resolutions –Better Late Than Never

February 10, 2010

I’ve always been drawn to New Year’s for its introspective bent. A contemplative holiday for examining the past, acknowledging achievements, but more importantly resetting intentions –perfect for us list-maker-types with chronic imaginations that lead to an endless stream of ideas and projects.

I came across an email with my 2009 goals and instead of feeling ever so accomplished I was dumbstruck. Much of what I wrote had not been accomplished and there were even a few things that I had forgotten entirely. What had I done with my year?

After some consideration I realized what did happen was not what I expected–running my first marathon and aiding in three artists’ shows: Emily Haldeman’s Female Projections; film model, Elizabeth Sinchak’s Where Moth and Rust Doth Corrupt; digital studio assistance and design, and Ebba Schmid’s Other Men; print and web designer. My own visual work has been maturing both technically and stylistically.

I’ve also read more in the past year than any before. Librarians have looked with worried eyes upon my armful of books stacked to my chin. There was a moratorium on my used book buying until more bookshelves were sourced. My reading list is pretty eclectic: web design, writing, psychology, gender, ecology, meditation, and cooking.

Impending 2010 Goals

  • Continue my reading regimen but with an emphasis on bringing its conceptual bounty to my personal work. Incorporating new methods or skills in my web design has been easy, but using what I’ve read to push the development of my installation work, Empty Homes and Unsafe Milk, has stalled. Or perhaps it is time to take up a new project?
  • Design organizer and planning templates to distribute freely online. Journals and organizers are some of my favorite expressions of utility in design and I would love to try my hand at it.
  • Nurture my technical skills. Top on my list is Wordpress and Javascript with the hope to make a final push to Ajax. My wacom tablet has also been lonely.
  • Write and document my work online. I have decided to change my content strategy and use this space to share and discuss my works in progress. I think it will help me think more critically and work effectively. Perhaps I’m missing the community and structure of my Chatham University visual arts studio.
  • Oh and run two marathons! Admittedly I was a little underwhelmed to begin training for the 2010 Pittsburgh Marathon. Last year my goal had been to finish in good health (accomplished!), which would lead this year’s goal to be trying to beat my time. However training for competitive performance goals like reducing time does little to motivate me. My running gains last year were due to a joyfulness of spirit, feeling healthy, and living vibrantly. Luckily, for my birthday I was given the opportunity to run in Burlington Vermont’s Marathon which is within the same month as Pittsburgh’s. This type of challenge calls for even more endurance and planning. So I’ve been hitting the snowy Pittsburgh pavement, and all that running gives me more time to think of new projects…