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kohler | wisconsin
Our weekend in Kohler consisted of long walks around the lake, steamy bowls of soup and Spotted Cows, ice skating followed by evening naps and long drawn out dinners. We spent Sunday morning getting pampered at the Kohler Waters Spa. I typically spend most of the winter season indoors avoiding the actual weather that comes with winter, but it felt so refreshing to change settings for a bit, get outdoors and explore a new place.
For Chicago folks who want to visit, the Village of Kohler is located on 419 Highland Drive in Kohler, Wisconsin about two hours north of Chicago and one hour north of Milwaukee.
photo credit kate zitzer
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I celebrated my 29th birthday this month. I decided that instead of making a list of things that need to be done before I turn 30, I’m going to write down 28 things that I accomplished this year and looking at this list I realized I really got a lot done last year. Hooray!
1. Sold our condo.
2. Cut my hair short again.
3. Visited the New Museum in NYC and the Chicago History Museum.
4. I hosted a make your own pizza party.
5. My art turned in a new direction and I’m excited to see where it leads me!
6. Visited Galena with friends.
7. We celebrated our second anniversary in Lowcountry.
8. Sold my largest most expensive piece of art and now it’s hanging in the Trump Tower.
9. Repainted our master bedroom.
10. Drank sweet tea and ate sticky buns in Charleston.
11. Went apple picking.
12. Hosted a Valentine’s craft party.
13. Every month we tried a new Chicago restaurant.
14. Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.
15. Spent the last of our summer days in Diamond Lake, Michigan.
16. I took on many custom painting projects and gained some new ideas in the process.
17. Was nominated for an award.
18. Made a lot of new cocktails.
19. I started eating more cauliflower and brussel sprouts and now I like them.
20. Sold one of my paintings in a silent auction.
21. Explored new to us Chicago neighborhoods and got to know the city even better.
22. Drank beer and listened to live music at the honky tonks in Nashville.
23. Ate breakfast at Little Goat, tacos at Big Star and pizza at Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder.
24. Went to half a dozen concerts.
25. I participated successfully in three local art fairs and met a lot of wonderful people.
26. We got closer to old friends and made some great new ones.
27. Moved out of the city.
28. I took a lot of photos – our adventures and our everyday life.
studio update
The last few weeks I’ve been able to slow down, rest and take it all in and my wheels have started turning about what to do next. First, you may have noticed that I made some minor changes here – over on Facebook and Etsy too. I thought the beginning of the year was the perfect time for a fresh look! My goal is to have Palettes and Passports be a place where you can learn new things, find all kinds of art and travel inspiration and follow along on my journey as an artist. I also have some new and exciting ideas planned for paintings that I will share with you in the coming weeks and months. I have two shows coming up later this year – Wells Street Art Festival in June and Lakeview East Festival of the Arts in September. I would like to bring back some old favorites, but I’d also like to do a lot of new pieces. I plan to limit the larger paintings and work on a smaller scale this year, and I see myself going with whatever comes naturally in terms of colors and composition. My source of inspiration will always be clean lines, bold type and bright colors, and right now I’m thinking these pieces are going to be inspired by animals, people, houses, fruits and cars. Too many ideas have taken over my brain the last few weeks because I haven’t been able to pick up a paintbrush. To focus all this energy, I started sketching and painting a few Love You So paintings over the weekend. I find I am more focused now and really looking forward to working on some new designs!
photo credit kate zitzer
advice | curing the winter blues
Let’s be honest – January is depressing. It’s really cold and the snow just won’t quit. I miss the sunshine. I miss swimming in the lake and taking long walks. I miss wearing sandals. I miss fresh pineapple and juicy watermelon. I miss iced coffee. Do you feel this way too? It’s easy to feel a little grumpy and out of it during this time of year so how can we fight the winter blues? Here are a few of my favorite cures –
- Getting organized. Give yourself a fresh start and clean out all the stuff you don’t need or use anymore.
- Going somewhere new every week or weekend. Take photos or sketch your surroundings. The feeling you get when you’re in a new and inspiring place is unmatched by any other.
- Surrounding yourself with your favorite things. Wear your favorite sweater, drink coffee out of your favorite mug, burn your favorite candle, buy fresh flowers, read a good book or spend some quality time with the people you love.
- Blasting some feel good tunes. Load up a playlist with your favorite songs and turn the volume up loud. It’s a great way to get motivated when you just can’t seem to get inspired.
- Taking a class or attending a workshop. What about a painting class at your favorite art museum, a cooking course at your favorite restaurant or a creative workshop at your favorite shop?
- Stop playing the waiting game and anchor yourself in the present. The holidays have past and the novelty of a fresh new year has worn off so we start counting the days until Valentine’s Day or Spring Break or just warmer days. Pause for a moment and be present.
- Exercising, taking long hot baths and getting enough sleep can also do wonders!
I already feel better even though its 10 degrees and snowing right now and it will be -2 degrees tonight. How do you survive the winter?
a new year
I hope you had a good time ringing in the new year – we sure did. Twenty thirteen was a great year – full of love and challenges, big dreams and new ventures, travels and inspiration. Every year brings new experiences and opportunities and seeing them unfold one by one is a beautiful thing. Every challenge you overcome, every time you say yes instead of no, every time you wander outside of your comfort zone – they’re all worth recognizing and celebrating. In the new year I’m looking forward to buying a house and putting some more of our roots down. I’m looking forward to having a new studio space, and I’m curious how it will change my work and what I will make. I’m going to get organized and be kinder to myself and others in 2014. I’m going to get a few more stamps in my passport and seeing the sun rise and set won’t be limited to train rides to and from work.
In a few short weeks I turn 29. I can’t believe I only have one more year left to enjoy my twenties and then on to my thirties. Last year at this time I made a few simple goals – the most important one being to pursue my creative endeavors with more passion and more determination than ever before. In 2013 I participated in three summer art fairs and completed over 100 paintings. I sold my largest most expensive piece of art to date. It was the kind of year that left me wondering what else I am capable of doing. So in 2014 I’m challenging myself to think bigger and push myself even further. I am challenging myself to step outside my creative boundaries, to chase my wild creative spirit and to discover new things. I worked so hard this past year and it won’t stop in 2014. Such a wonderful feeling to know that the possibilities really are endless.
