March Wrapped 2026 - Monthly Art Check-In

Welcome back to my monthly blog post, my March Wrapped! March was a busy month, but it also felt like it slowed down a lot compared to February, and I had a lot more time for painting and my business. The Instagram account has 375 followers as of today, 10 short of my first checkpoint in reaching my 500-follower goal and not quite where I wanted to be by the end of March. We will continue to push into April, though! I just finished the large acrylic piece that I work on once a week in my art class. It looks beautiful and is ready to turn into prints. This piece is very special to me as it is a visual reminder of the time I spent on my mission trip in Costa Rica. Starting after Easter Break, I will continue with the start of my next large acrylic piece. It is a large and dramatic sunset with lots of bright colours, the photo of which was taken at the lake my family frequents. With only the base coat, it is looking stunning. Besides those pieces, I finished the March addition of my record series. It has a gorgeous sunflower design and is now available for purchase. As of today, the gouache piece released with this blog is sketched out but not yet completed. Finally, just a reiteration from last month, but the commission I spoke of in my previous blog has not come to fruition yet, as I am still waiting on reference photos and price confirmation. The Albertan Dream piece is still scheduled to be featured in the Canmore Avalon show home, though it has been pushed back to mid-April now. It will be sold via an online auction organized through Avalon, which is super exciting. If anyone is interested in that particular piece, I would love for you to participate, and I will share the link when the auction is open. The starting bid will be $215, I believe. That is all from the art side of things this month.

In my personal life, March has definitely calmed down. I participated in the District 4H public speaking competition at the beginning of the month, and though my teammates and I spoke well, we only placed 3rd and did not advance to Regionals. I am disappointed for sure, but we had fun presenting, and I'm proud of how far we got. After getting a large dump of snow, my family and I headed up to Lake Louise for some skiing. We got lots of power; definitely one of the best days to date. More exciting news, I accepted my admission offer to the University of Calgary Engineering program. We took a campus tour and an engineering building-specific tour, which both helped me to get my bearings a bit better. I am excited for the opportunities this new year will bring, but I am also very worried about all the change. More 18th birthdays to celebrate, this time my cousins. It was a great excuse to get out to have some fun and to visit with the rest of the family. I watched some more hockey, this time my boyfriend's conference final game. Unfortunately, they lost, but it was a very close game and fun to watch. The rest of the month, I spent a few days catching up with friends, getting lunch and brunch, and playing a bit of pool. Our 4H lambs were also ready to come home, so halter training has begun. They are always a bit wild at the start, but it makes it more fun and rewarding. Finally, a Flames game to round off the month, and we are heading into April with one last snowstorm! All for March!

Before I let you go, here are some notes going into March to feel a bit more creative and get a bit more out of your days. Take note, especially if you are exhausted from winter and need something to lift your spirits.

• Fruit- Eat a piece of fruit, whichever kind is your favourite (mine are cherries and peaches, but I like everything). There is something about the sweetness and colour that makes me think of longer days and sunshine.

• Revisit your goals - Remember the resolutions you made in January? Well, now is the time to look back on them and renew your commitment, or revise them to something more achievable. Spring is the Earth's time for new beginnings, and it can be your time too!

• Spring clean - Speaking of Spring, April is the perfect time for a refresh of your space as well. It is time to let go of things that are no longer important to you. So, make some time to throw out old gas receipts and put away the water bottles collecting on your desk.

• Drink Tea- Everyone is obsessed with their morning coffee, but I find a cup of tea in the afternoon, especially if there is still a chill in the air, is the perfect way to round out a day at school or work. Drinking tea, specifically from a mug, which I recommend, reminds you to slow down and notice that yes, the snow is melting, and yes, the sun does not set until 8:00 pm.

• Keep plants in your bedroom or office - I have two spider plants (perfect plant for people without green thumbs) in my bedroom, and the green always improves my mood. Having something alive in your indoor spaces makes the room itself feel alive, which is something we all need after certain days.

Thank you for tuning in if you've made it this far! I will try to post one of these at the end of each month to keep everyone updated. Let me know if you have any other ideas for what I should write about in these blogs (my dms and email are open!)