Happy New Year!

Last year we started out a bit nervous and excited; Lauren and I were about to have a baby and we knew that everything would change upon his arrival. The plan was that I would take care of the baby during the day and I thought I would have little time to dedicate to painting.

As we anticipated, Ian completely changed our lives! He has brought so much happiness and joy, but also a lot of work. It wasn’t until he was a few weeks old that I was able to return to painting a few hours each day. Luckily, Lauren was able to spend about three months home on maternity leave, taking care of Ian while I painted. Those three months passed very quickly and soon she had to (reluctantly!) return to the office.

We have a saying in Nicaragua: “En el camino se arreglan las cargas” loosely translated it means, “We’ll deal with any issues that come our way as they happen.” That’s the way it’s been around here. This year I have learned to prioritize the important things and make the most of my time at the easel. I’m learning to balance being a full time father while advancing in my career as an artist.

With a little hard work and a lot of support from friends and family, 2013 was full of success and happiness. Ian is happily and healthfully growing and Lauren and I feel so blessed to have him in our life (even though we’re always a bit tired!).

To everyone who has liked and generously added one of my paintings to their collection, many thanks! I wish you all a New Year full of many blessings and great surprises!

Tulips for Jim's mom -- Commissioned.

Cheers!
MT