New Moon in Capricorn: Closing the Year and Dreaming Forward
My view for the next few days.
Life Update: Reflecting on the Past Year and Recharging for the New Moon in Capricorn
This past week has been exactly what I needed. After a year of rehab and endless medical appointments, I was completely worn out. So, a few days with family celebrating Christmas, crafting gnome-themed cards, and just soaking in the festive energy was such a joy. Now, I’ve relocated to house-sit for my daughter in a more rural setting, surrounded by nature and a breathtaking mountain view. It’s the perfect environment for rest, recharging, and reflection. The slower pace has allowed me to reconnect with my creativity in small, delightful ways.
This in-between time, the liminal space between Christmas and the New Year, feels particularly special. It’s a time of pause, reflection, and setting intentions before stepping into a new chapter. I’ve been leaning into this space, journaling and dreaming about what’s next, with my oracle cards helping to guide me. There’s something magical about the stillness of the dark moon and the opportunity it offers to set intentions for the year ahead.
Studio Update: Creative Breaks and the Power of Collage for Storytelling
Even though I’ve taken a break from physically being in the studio, my creative energy hasn’t slowed down. I’m about to dive into the Collage Joy workshop with Catherine Rains, a 10-day challenge that promises to be so much fun! Collage is such a wonderful medium for storytelling, and I’m excited to see what emerges. It feels like the perfect way to ease back into making art while also exploring new ideas.
One of my favourite end-of-year rituals is working on my vision wall. For the last couple of years, I’ve been creating boards for different areas of my life, home, relationships, travel, spirituality, and creative goals. I don’t try to cram everything into one board but prefer diving deeper into each area. It’s a grounding and inspiring process, and I look forward to sharing more about it as I go. I love using Canva to brainstorm and gather images, then print them out to create physical boards. The process helps me focus on specific goals and dreams for the coming year.
Artist of the Season: Exploring the Work of Kara Walker and Her Capricorn Energy
Born on December 26, 1969, Kara Walker is an artist whose work continually challenges, provokes, and inspires. As a Capricorn, her practice reflects the sign’s ambitious, determined, and deeply reflective nature. Walker is best known for her striking black paper silhouettes, which explore themes of race, gender, identity, and history, especially the lasting legacy of slavery in the United States.
Her work confronts uncomfortable truths, using stark black-and-white imagery to symbolise the binaries of race and power. These bold, thought-provoking pieces invite viewers to engage with the complexities of history and identity. Find out more about Kara here.
Collage as a Tool for Storytelling
Walker’s collage work, though less well-known than her silhouettes, is a masterclass in layering and storytelling. She uses found materials and fragmented imagery to create pieces that feel chaotic yet deliberate. Through these works, she captures the intricate, messy realities of identity and history. One example is her 2017 exhibition The Katastwóf Karavan, where she combined graphic images with text to address themes of disaster, resilience, and cultural memory.
As I prepare to start the Collage Joy workshop, Walker’s work feels especially inspiring. Her ability to layer meaning and imagery into cohesive, evocative pieces reminds me of the power of collage to tell stories that resonate deeply. It’s a practice I’m excited to lean into more in the coming weeks.
Notable Works by Kara Walker
Gone: An Historical Romance of a Civil War as it Occurred Between the Dusky Thighs of One Young Negress and Her Heart (1994): This iconic silhouette piece challenges romanticized narratives of the antebellum South.
A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby (2014): A monumental installation addressing themes of labor, exploitation, and capitalism.
The Katastwóf Karavan (2017): A steam-powered calliope installation paired with graphic imagery about historical resilience and atrocities.
Capricorn New Moon Astrology: Setting Intentions for Growth and Reflection
This New Moon in Capricorn, marking the final New Moon of 2024, presents a powerful moment for reflection and intention-setting. Capricorn’s grounding and structured energy encourages us to dream big while creating realistic plans to achieve our goals. With the new solar year beginning, this dark moon is the perfect opportunity to pause, honour the past, and step forward with purpose.
Capricorn’s energy also aligns beautifully with the work I’ve been doing with #CyclesOfCraft, reminding me to embrace patience and steady progress. It’s not about rushing to the finish line but honouring the journey and the steps it takes to get there.
#CyclesOfCraft: Embracing the Next Phase of Creativity and Growth
As the Wheel of the Year turns and the first New Moon of 2025 rises in Capricorn, we find ourselves entering the next phase of our creative journey. From Beltane to the Summer Solstice, we’ve been in a season of growth, celebration, and abundance. Now, we turn our focus toward Lammas, the first harvest, a time to reflect on the seeds we’ve planted and nurture the fruits of our labour.
#CyclesOfCraft is about more than the act of creating; it’s a mindful practice of aligning our creativity with the natural rhythms of the earth and sky. Each phase of the year, like each phase of the moon, carries its own unique energy and guidance.
From the fiery energy of Beltane to the fullness of the Summer Solstice, this past season has been one of flourishing ideas and abundant inspiration. Now, as the days subtly begin to shorten, we look toward Lammas—a celebration of the first harvest and a reminder to both honour what we’ve achieved and prepare for what’s to come.
The Moon as Our Guide
The phases of the moon echo this journey, providing a framework for reflection and creation:
New Moon: Begin new projects, set intentions, and embrace fresh starts.
First Quarter: Build on those intentions with action and determination.
Full Moon: Reflect on what’s working, release what isn’t, and celebrate progress.
Last Quarter: Finalize projects, wrap up loose ends, and carry forward what remains unfinished.
Dark Moon: Pause to honour the cycle, rest, and prepare for the next beginning.
This New Moon in Capricorn invites us to step into the year with grounded intentions, taking practical steps toward our goals while honouring the patience and resilience required for lasting growth.
A Cosmic Connection: Harnessing the Energy of the Capricorn New Moon
Adding to the energy of this season, a rare planetary alignment will grace the night sky on January 25. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will align, creating a powerful synergy that can inspire reflection and transformation.
Each planet brings its own influence:
Mercury: Clarity and connection in communication.
Venus: Deepening love, beauty, and creativity.
Mars: Motivation and the courage to take bold steps.
Jupiter: Expansion and the embrace of new opportunities.
Saturn: Discipline and thoughtful planning for the future.
This alignment mirrors the themes of #CyclesOfCraft—reflection, growth, and the pursuit of balance. It’s a reminder that even as we create, we are always in dialogue with the greater rhythms of the cosmos.
The Next Phase: Setting Goals and Intentions for the New Year
As we move toward Lammas, this phase invites us to consider what we are cultivating in our lives. What are we ready to harvest? What still needs tending?
Our Art Journal prompt for this season echoes these questions: "As we step into the new year, what do you want to bring with you? Not just your goals, but the quiet dreams, the creative sparks, or the quiet resilience you’ve been building. Capricorn’s energy asks us to be patient and steady, what would it feel like to approach your desires with reverence for the journey ahead, rather than rushing to the end result?"
Through this reflective practice, we honour not only what we’re creating but how we are transforming through the process.
Exhibition Update: Continuing the Theme of Invisibility in My Upcoming Creativa – presented by Collective 24
I’m excited to be part of a group exhibition with my fellow students from LCAD, titled Creativa and presented by Collective 24. For my piece, I’ve been brainstorming and playing with the concept of the visible and invisible, continuing the theme explored in The Unseen Woman. This time, I’m focusing on disability—both visible and invisible—and challenging the assumptions made about those living with a disability. Using mirrors and distortion, my piece invites viewers to reflect on how we perceive others and the often-overlooked realities of their experiences.
Looking Ahead: Creative Goals and Projects for the New Year
As we step into the new year, I’m looking forward to:
Diving into the Collage Joy workshop and exploring new techniques.
Expanding the #CyclesOfCraft practice with more creative prompts and rituals.
Bringing my vision wall to life and setting intentions for 2025.
Developing my concept for the Creativa exhibition.
Redbubble Update
In terms of my Redbubble shop, I wanted to share that my exhibition pieces, The Unseen Woman and Kintsugi of the Soul, will not be available for merch. These works are deeply personal and touch on themes that cannot be easily distilled into products for mass consumption. However, you can still find my Crow collection on the shop, and I’m excited to add new designs in 2025. Stay tuned for more! Check out the shop here.
Redbubble Shop
Summer Studio Tunes Playlist
As we move into the new year, I’ve been curating a special playlist for those creative moments when you need something to inspire your studio time. Check out my Summer Studio Tunes playlist on Spotify. It’s filled with tracks that keep the creative energy flowing and the mood light as we dream forward into 2025. You can listen along while you’re working on your own projects!
This Capricorn New Moon feels like the perfect time to honour where I’ve been and dream about what’s to come. Here’s to a new cycle filled with creativity, resilience, and growth.
