The new year is about half an hour old and I have watched the fireworks over our city in a 180° round view. I work tonight, but so far it is quiet on the phone and there seems to be enough time for my 1st watercolor of 2019. Yesterday I got the news from Poland that I am among the winners of the IWS Poland´s “Step by Step” contest – what great news to end the year!!! Happy New Year everybody! Thanks so much for following me and my watercolor adventure through 2018 and even longer. Here are my last paintings of 2018 for you.
Das neue Jahr ist eine knappe halbe Stunde alt und ich habe das Feuerwerk über unserer Stadt in einem 180° Rundum Blick genossen. Ich arbeite heute Nacht, aber bisher ist es ruhig am Telefon und es scheint, als bliebe noch genug Zeit für das erste Aquarell des Jahres 2019. Gestern bekam ich die Nachricht aus Polen, dass ich unter den Gewinnern des “Step by Step” Wettbewerbs der IWS Polen bin – was für eine tolle Nachricht zum Ausklang des Jahres! Ein frohes neues Jahr Euch allen! Und vielen Dank, dass Ihr mir und meinem Aquarell-Abenteuer durchs Jahr 2018 und noch länger gefolgt seid. Hier sind meine letzten Aquarelle des Jahres 2018 für Euch.
brushpark-watercolors 
Really nice paintings, happy new year from Mariehamn , Åland 🙂
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Thanks so much, Jesper… and happy new year to you and Susann! 🙂
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Happy New Year Carsten – and what great news to begin 2019 with! I wish you even more painting success, public recognition and critical success during the year ahead!
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Thanks so much, John and same to you! I am very happy with 2018 and grateful. It would be hard to top it in 2019 and I would be glad if I could just learn a lot through this new year. I am still a little bit overhelmed and frightend by the recognition and success I got last year and decided to calm down as much as possible. I got involved into watercolor painting because it is good for me and kind of a therapy. Public recognition and sucess are beautiful but it should never be the motivation – in my opinion.
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Of course Carsten, I quite understand and agree with what you mean about the motivations – that that the painting and one’s own well being must come first… however in time, those priorities and public recognition etc needn’t be mutually exclusibe. There may come a time in the future when they all come together hand in hand!
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You are probably right, John, but I love the presence too much to speculate about the future. It feels perfect for me how it is now here and today. 🙂
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That sounds just wonderful Carsten and sound advice for us all to try and follow!
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Thanks so much, John. I am far away from being someone giving advices to others… but it works good for me and keeps me calm and relaxed most of the time. 🙂
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Congratulations on the step by step in Poland! Well deserving! Happy New Year and may 2019 bring you much happiness!
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Thanks so much, Al! Same to you and: Happy painting!!! 🙂
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Happy New Year Carsten, Wishing you continued fulfillment in 2019. And, you have ended the year with a special painting-265_2018 is so serene and lovely.
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Thanks so much, dear Holly! My best wishes to you for the new year. My very last painting is 268… and I am going to post it in a moment…
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Very nice. Congratulations on your award from Poland. Do you always sketch with a fine point brush or do you use black marker!
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Thanks so much again, Dwight! I use a cheap black ballpen for my sketches. In most cases I only draw a few thumbnails to get an idea about the composition.
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Interesting. The sketches work so well!
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Unfortunately I like them better than my paintings sometimes. 🙂
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Your paintings are fabulous in my book!!
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