1) Taking Carol Marine's advice to heart: "Paint Small and Often to Become a More Creative, Productive and Successful Artist"
Between meetings with teachers and artists as an Arts Integration Coach with a non-profit, Engaging Creative Minds, and planning a wedding in France with a soiree back here in Charleston in late spring, I didn't have a ton of time to paint. With a new umph to create, I refused to let "busy" stand in my way. My limited time actually worked to my advantage as I painted quickly and freely, not overworking and overthinking as I was guilty of doing in the past. My love for setting up a still life and making each brushstroke count (in 30 minutes or less!) was born. What a great kick off to 2017!
2) Purchasing a STRADA Easel
Buying this easel is up there with buying my wedding dress in 2017! This system is the real deal and I LOVE it. What a great year of painting out on location and often next to other local artists with this bad boy.
3) Studying with THE IMPRESSIONISM QUEEN, Anne Blair Brown, in Franklin, TN at her Brushwork Bootcamp 2017
March 2017 was my first opportunity to travel outside of Charleston for a workshop (with my STRADA Easel in tow). I saw Anne's work in person for the first time in November 2016 at her solo show at Meyer Vogl here in Charleston and knew I needed more of her. I went home and immediately signed up for this workshop.
4) Traveling to Provence, France to study with MY PAINTING HERO, Carol Marine
Painting in the South of France under the instruction of Carol Marine, the artist whose brushwork gives me LIFE and whose words (in her book Daily Painting) gave my quest to find my place in Charleston's creative community MEANING... PINCH ME!!
Her book, Daily Painting, which I read summer of 2016 spoke to me in a mighty way. It was as if Carol and the Holy Spirit teamed up to say, "PAINT FALLON, YOU'RE MEANT TO PAINT".
5) Going ALL IN as a full-time artist with my first 30/30 Painting Challenge in September
I decided to focus on the sky for this 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. Above are some of my favorite skyscapes.
September 2017 will always be a special month for me. It's the month that I finally decided that painting full-time is what I wanted to do; what I needed to do; and what I finally DID!
This came about 28 months after leaving the first grade classroom and discovering that promoting work of other artists in local galleries and coaching teachers through arts integrated lesson planning still weren't quite right.
My place in Charleston's creative community was doing the creating myself.
6) Launching fallonpeper.com
Officially official with fallonpeper.com in October 2017 !
(photoshoot courtesy of my talented sister, Devon, of Devon Donnahoo Photography)
7) Studying with Anne Blair Brown (again), this time, at her Charleston en Plein Air Workshop
Painting downtown Charleston, along Shem Creek and on the beautiful property of local artist, Betty Anglin Smith, in rural Meggett, SC under Anne's instruction ... DREAMY!
8) Collaborating with my sister at a wedding in Beaufort, SC (our first of many to come!)
This "Diamond Duo" can offer the new Mr. and Mrs. a unique way to remember their special day!
9) Releasing my first series: UNWRAPPED, an abstract series
"Abstract painting is like unwrapping a gift from my sister... I don't know what it's going to be, but I know it's going to be something that gives me all the good feels." -Me
Above are some of my favorites from this series.
10) Showing in Mitchell Hill for POPCORN GARLAND
What an honor to have been asked to show on the walls of one of my favorite local galleries!
2017 was all about discovering myself... 2018 will be all about being myself!
I am READY!