A year of finding a new pace and doing more of what I enjoy

It's hard to glance back at 2017 and not picture a garbage fire, but let's not get too critical. Closing in and reflecting on my own growth as a person and creative, I noticed things that I hope to improve in 2018—not in the sense of creating New Year’s Resolutions but more in knowing what I should continue doing in the new year, such as continuing to challenge myself to learn new skills, be more ambitious, be more thoughtful, and more importantly, be more kind to others.

The last year was full of risks and unknowns. I started 2017 with a move to Brooklyn, NY, with the simple idea of making sure I was honest with myself and to do what I say. One thing I'm most proud of is the release of a publication that I authored and illustrated: the Farewell Monsters zine, a personal project that took months to complete. I was able to release it in November. Another accomplished goal, and probably the most important, was getting the job I wanted last June—and, just the other week, receiving my first promotion in the company.

The image above is a collection of all my personal and professional projects that I completed in 2017, all of which I'm very proud of and which challenged me in different ways. It’s neat to look at each piece and think about the creative process it took to complete them, pondering over what worked and what didn't. Those things that worked will be carried on into 2018, along with a head full of ideas.

Let me tell you about a goal that's a bit less exciting but means a lot to me: having my own creative space, and no, I’ve never had my own desk. Sure, I had my fair share of school/work desks, but I'm talking about my own personal workspace. During the two years of freelancing that I did back home in Lancaster, PA, I worked out of coffee shops, shared workspaces, and on my own bed. With the move to Brooklyn came an extra bedroom that became the office, a space where I can create, make a mess, break things, and fix things. Also, if you're a photographer, artist, or designer and are selling prints—let me know. There's still space to fill.

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