Welcome 2025

Happy New Year!

The anticipation for a new year is always full of hope and filled with a tremendous energy shift as everyone vibrates more positively. Collectively, it signals a change, an excitement for better things to come. The holidays provide a much needed break to recharge our internal batteries and allow us to focus on what matters most: family, relationships, health, finances, etc. And as we embrace 2025 with optimism, we are also invited to reckon with the weight of the world to carry into it.

There are things that are outside our control that affect us directly and indirectly. 2024 has been a tapestry woven with moments of joy, resilience, and growth, but also threads of sorrow and senseless tragedy. The heartbreak of violence and loss of innocent lives here and abroad remind us of how interconnected we are. But how do we move forward with hope when shadows of despair remain?

One of my greatest realizations in life is that I cannot change the world. But I can do small, deliberate actions that create a space for kindness, for art, for healing.

Every brushstroke of a painting, every line in a drawing, every pattern on a fabric,  every word written or spoken, is a declaration of hope; A refusal to let darkness and destruction have the last word. As an artist and sensitive being, I experienced how beauty can be a balm, a reminder of all that is still good and worth fighting for. Art, music, books, and prayers get me through my hard days, my tough times, and my personal demons.

As I look ahead, my goals this year are rooted in this dual awareness of the world's pain and potential. I want to create more art that inspires joy and connection. I hope to grow more as an artist and as a person, seeking out opportunities to listen, learn, and evolve to contribute to a better world.

Let's take a breath and embrace the beauty of our shared community. May we speak with more kindness to ourselves and towards others, act with more courage to do what is truly right, respect life, and dream with more audacity. 

May we find ways to hold each other up, even when the ground beneath us is shaking. Together, we can make this world a better place. It won't happen overnight, but good change often starts in the quiet moments, in a gentle whisper, in sincere conversations, an art that stirs the soul, or a decision to love instead of hate. Let these moments be the ones that ripple outward and wash into the ocean of our lives.

This New Year, I wish light, peace, and true happiness in your life.