#3 Your Word of the Year as a Creative Compass

Every artist needs a compass. Some find theirs in nature, some in color, some in movement. For me, I’ve learned to find mine in a single word that I carry through the year — something that anchors me and gently redirects me when life (or a painting) starts pulling me sideways.

2024 was Discernment.
2025 is Resurgence.
And 2026 is Presence — a word that arrived softly but stayed firmly.

Choosing a word of the year isn’t about being clever or philosophical. It’s about listening. Your life will tell you what it needs. Your art will tell you what it’s missing.

A word becomes a guide:
• It shapes how you step into the studio.
• It influences your color palette and your pace.
• It shifts the emotional undercurrent of your work.
• And it reminds you what you’re actually longing for.

As you move toward the new year, consider choosing a word that pulls you gently toward who you want to become — not who you think you should be.

Your art will thank you.
Your life will, too.

With Presence,
Anita

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