It’s that time of the year when we all sit down and think ahead about the upcoming year. We reflect on the past year as well as on our hopes and dreams for the future. What our creative plans will be for this year, what we hope to achieve, what goals we want to set; all of it is very exciting for us!

As artists, this exercise of planning ahead becomes even more significant, because we are not just creators, but also entrepreneurs. We are creating something truly magnificent that will affect every person who sees it. We have more power than we think we do, and that’s why, it’s quite natural that we dream big for our future as well.

Whether you are an aspiring artist, or you’ve been in the art world for some time now, we all have our eyes set on themes and subject that we want to explore for the year. Regardless of what you’ve been creating so far, it’s important to be clear about your creative plans and what you aspire to do next. Do you want to continue with the subjects you are already familiar with? Or do you want to try out something new this year?

We posted this question on our Arts to Hearts Instagram page (@artstoheartsproject), where our community members responded with some of the themes and subjects that excite them for 2024. So, let’s look at their responses.

Artists’ creative plans

This is what all artists aspire at the end of the day, to be truthful and honest. After all, what is art if not truthful? It needs to reflect our inner selves in an authentic way, without any veil. Only then can art have the power to inspire the viewer. We need to be truthful through our art, and not only with the viewers, but ourselves as well. Art is one of those rare things in the world that holds a mirror to the viewer, and to each person, it shows something different. And that’s why, art, as well as the artist, needs to be honest!

One of the subjects that always sucked me in as a child was the ‘black hole’. It’s mystery and enigma, and the fact that scientists are still making discoveries about it, makes it magical. It’s scary, and yet, it’s also something you can’t stop thinking about. It’s quite understandable that @gayle_payne_people_painted finds this subject interesting as well, and for the year 2024, this is what excited them. Apart from being honest and truthful, art also should surprise you, and in my opinion, a subject such as ‘black holes’ will definitely make the audience think for a few minutes.

With time, it has become more and more difficult to detach ourselves from the politics. Perhaps it is the advent of the internet that connects us all, or the fact that the world has gotten a little gloomy lately, especially in the year 2023, it has become hard to ignore the socio-political climate. People who are caught at the thick of it have always been political, but now, more than ever, even the people at the distance with privilege have started to participate in such discourse, and that is a good thing.

The world needs us to step in, and speak up, and many people, especially the next generation, or as we call it the ‘Gen Z’, are actively using their voices. Artists like @isunmirakhorli feel the responsibility to use the social and political themes in their art for the upcoming year, and it’s great to see people using their talents and skills to make the change they can!

@markpauljohnart shares his creative plans for the year 2024, where he’s going to use world-famous paintings and replace the people in them with Jacks, Queens and Kings of playing cards. The idea sounds fun, something that is sure to bring smile on the viewer’s face. It’s also important to sometimes try out things that are not really traditional and surprise yourself!

Climate change is one of the more worrying things to have been discussed lately, where it impacts everyone. Slowly, we have been seeing the effects of it all over the world, especially in third world and developing countries that don’t even have a significant contribution to the annual greenhouse gas emissions. It’s important to talk about the climate, and that’s what @naturatmosphere plans on doing in 2024. With ecological art, they plan to bring awareness of the dangers that our planet is facing due to its deteriorating environment.

We love the positive energy @elizabethgadethepoet and @catefieldartist are bringing to this year. We all need art that gives off joyous and happy vibes and celebrates feminine power.

This time of the year is a symbolic one. As the new year begins, we all get the chance to start fresh. As artists, you must take this opportunity to be as creative as possible. Consider this as a time to try out things that you’ve always been skeptical about, or felt unsure about. Think about all the creative plans you have had in your mind, the themes that excite you, and start planning on how you can start focusing on them this year!

You can always read more articles where our ATH community comes together to engage with each other!