art prints

2014 YEAR RECAP

I went for a run the other day and starting thinking about my ‘2014 Recap’ post. I’ve done one for the last five years; 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. It’s a lot of work putting it together and I asked myself, ‘who actually reads it all?’ Obviously you… so far!’  So why send it out?

I continued running and let the highlights of the last twelve months come front of mind. Damn it’s been a great year! A lot of ‘a-ha’ moments which I think had sorted of faded from my memory. Then it struck me, in the fast pace we operate in, it’s always all about the now, the constant barrage of briefs, editing, digital distractions and what have you. The nows are closely followed by the what’s next… the next gig, next rebrand, next blog update, next new business and the next new year.

It struck me that I rarely sit down to absorb and be proud of what we’ve accomplished.

Wouter-Kignma-Blog-2014-RECAP

So I guess this post is more for me rather than for you the reader. Sorry! But, don’t switch off quite yet as success is always better shared.

Here’s a snapshot of how my 2014 panned out

  • I launched my own retail book with my publisher Motivate in April. It’s always a proud moment to see my ‘Dubai Aerial Tour’ in all the book stores around town. If you’ve not already seen it check out the behind the scenes video.
  • I’ve now formally taken on the role as Canon Ambassador for the Middle East region. A new challenge which feeds my passion for sharing and teaching. My content has gone up on their Facebook page with #WOUTERINFOCUS  as the tagline and I’ve already enjoyed a few speaking engagements. In December, we produced a really cool Canon case study video as a summary of my work.
  • I needed a new roof over my head so I converted an abandoned 20ft container into a vintage lodge as our studio and creative space. I’m a big believer in creating a working environment that works, fits your style and is full of energy to fuel creativity. Swing by and check it out…
  • On a more private note but a pretty a big one… nope, trust me.. the two energetic boys we have are enough! My wife Kiki has left the corporate field herself and has a heart set on creating a voice within the team & relationship coaching world. She is great at what she does and I wish her all the best in chasing her dreams.
  • Together with the crew at Wonderful Machine, we’ve been through a big audit of my business, which proved to be an eye opening and valuable excise. Over the course of the last nine months, we’ve rethought what we’re doing, re-photo edited, rebranded and got a fresh online presence. Let me know what you think of it…
  • Our webstore ArtOnTheMove.me is working well but needs more TLC to increase sales. The Middle East remains fairly new to buying goods online, let alone printed art but the feedback has been promising so I do believe we’re on the right track. I’m potentially looking at some kind of partnership with someone who can take the lead on the e-commerce business. Open for discussion!
  • The moment I walked out of the helicopter, I knew it would have to lead to a photo exhibition. And so it did. Over the summer we worked on putting the DXB/AIR roadshow together. Three months at three amazing locations! Check out the video to see what it was all about. The big backlit images brought the stories together along with the exhibition art installation, created from recycled wood.  For me, it was as much about sharing the aerial work in big prints as it was about the actual art installations.
  • No books went to press in 2014 but we’ve been doing all the ground work for two new releases in February and May 2015. More to come! It’s always so rewarding to see the artwork pdf be transformed into a physical book. In parallel, we’ve produced an entertaining video about producing books … The Rough guide to Bookmaking.
  • A final note to all the amazing clients who keep us engaged throughout the year. THANK YOU! We’re very fortunate to receive a really nice mix of gigs. It is variety that rocks our boat and working with amazing people is the icing on the cake. We really do appreciate all your support.
As mentioned above, I have no idea how many followers actually make it to the bottom of this post, but if you did, awesome! You’ve joined the 2014 celebration.
Wk.