Towards the end of 2016 I got married, toured Tasmania on honeymoon and got a puppy! As you would expect, my life has changed, my holidays were blissful, and I feel very lucky. And not just for those great events; I feel lucky because last June I survived a massive car crash.
Tag: year in review
2015: Year in Review
The end of 2015 marks two and a half years since I gave up my day job at the Health Department. It’s also been my busiest year by far.
That doesn’t mean much when there’s only 1.5 other years to compare it to 😉 but I’ve run the numbers and it was pretty huge.
Here’s the vital statistics:
- 118-ish days of talks and workshops at schools, libraries and festivals (way up from 80 last year)
- 12 festival/conference appearances (more than the last two years combined)
- Quietest term: 1st (same as last year)
- Quietest month: March (last year = April)
- Busiest term: 3rd (same as last year)
- Busiest months: August/Sept/Oct (last year = Aug)
- 4 trips over east (down from 6 last year)
- 1 trip each to Tas, Vic, NSW, Qld
- 2.5 weeks = longest trip away (Qld)
- 1 new book released (My Dead Bunny)
- 3 book launches including 2 inter-state
- 2 bouts of the flu
- 1 contract for a work-in-progress
- 1 grant
- 2 community art projects
- 9 editions of the James Foley-o newsletter
Phew.
What the heck happened to 2014?
Happy New Year! I hope you’re well-fed and rested after the holidays, and are feeling ready to tackle another year.
I’ve just had a two-week holiday at home, my first big break in a while. I read a pile of books, watched a stack of movies and played a heap of video games. It was heaven. I’m back at the desk now, but I wanted to take stock of 2014 before getting stuck into new jobs. It’s mostly for my benefit, but if you’re at all interested in how a full-time children’s illustrator spends his time, here’s a month-by-month summary of my 2014.