When I look back at 2025 from an art perspective, I think it’s been a fairly successful year — especially when set against how close I came to stopping altogether. After a disappointing financial year in 2024–25, where sales and commissions were very low, I seriously questioned whether to continue putting my work out there. However, 2025 provided something I hadn’t planned for but very much needed: validation and opportunity.

Exhibition and Visibility

One of the most significant moments of the year was being offered a solo exhibition at St George’s Arts Centre in Gravesend. The exhibition, “The Soldier as Artist,” came about completely by chance after the Art Director at Gravesend Borough Council emailed to ask if I’d be interested. That, in itself, was incredibly affirming.

The exhibition was a fantastic experience and built naturally on my previous solo show, “The Sapper as Artist,” at the Royal Engineers Museum a year earlier. Coming at a time when I was genuinely considering stepping away from the business side of art altogether, that exhibition felt like a golden opportunity — a real springboard — and I’m incredibly thankful for it.

Curation and Community

Off the back of that exhibition, I was invited to curate the remembrance exhibition at the same venue, titled “In the Line of Remembrance.” When I took this on, I genuinely expected to be inundated with submissions from veteran artists across all kinds of media. That wasn’t the case, which really surprised me.

I don’t believe this was due to a lack of talent — there is certainly no shortage of veteran artists — but rather a lack of confidence or reluctance to put oneself forward. It takes a degree of courage to stick one’s head above the parapet and show the world their work. Despite this, six artists did exhibit, and the work on display was outstanding, ranging from paintings to dioramas and digital work. I felt the exhibition showcased not only the depth of talent within the veteran community but also a powerful lived experience of service and remembrance. It was a real honour and pleasure to be involved.

Creative Reconnection

That experience gave me the impetus to begin developing an art mindfulness course, which I’ve titled Creative Reconnection. This course is a short, intensive creative wellbeing programme designed to support veterans in the UK through the combined use of art-making and peer-to-peer support. Over two consecutive weekends, veterans participate in guided workshops that use artistic expression and cognitive reframing techniques to enhance self-awareness, emotional regulation, and communication.

The project directly addresses social isolation, emotional stress, and transition challenges faced by veterans while building confidence, connection, and a sense of purpose — all through the power of art. I’m still developing it, but I hope to deliver a pilot either in the next financial year or during the 2026 calendar year. I genuinely believe art is a powerful way to help people reconnect, particularly veterans who may feel isolated or lonely post-service, and I hope this course can bear fruit.

My Practice and Studies

My own artistic practice has continued to develop throughout the year. My final piece of the year, The Creek in Dubai, explored a new stylistic direction for me, inspired by Monet and the work of John Myatt. It represents a looser, more impressionistic approach to landscape painting, and I hope to explore this further while continuing to develop my wider practice.

Alongside this, my Open University studies have gone very well. I’ve now completed two years of my degree and will begin the first stage of my final year in January. Although it will take longer to complete due to being part-time, I remain extremely positive about the direction it’s taking me. The degree has already pushed and pulled me artistically in ways I would never have chosen on my own, and that has been invaluable.

Commercial Successes

Commercially, 2025 has been far stronger than the previous year. I completed a particularly meaningful double portrait commission for a wedding, which was a real honour. I was delighted to hear directly from the bride that they love the finished piece. I’ve also sold several paintings, which is always encouraging.

I also took some calculated risks this year by producing 2026 calendars and handmade Christmas cards based on my WWI and WWII Indian ink drawings. The calendars did not sell as well as hoped, which has been a useful lesson, but the Christmas cards sold well and can be carried forward into future years.

One of the unexpected successes of the year came from a painting I initially created as a gift. Following the death of General Aidan Smythe RE, I painted a piece commemorating the pallbearing party from my reserve unit and gifted it to the regiment. This later led to requests for prints, which sold well. While the financial return was modest, it was a positive and meaningful outcome.

Overall, I’ve made a profit this year. It’s not enough to make art my sole income, but after the difficulties of the previous year, it feels like a clear step in the right direction.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Looking ahead to 2026, my priorities are clear: to continue my studies towards a BA (Hons) in Painting, to deliver a pilot of Creative Reconnection, to continue developing my practice, and to further explore teaching and facilitation. Importantly, I’m no longer questioning whether to continue — I’m focused on how to grow.

As I reflect on the past year, I can't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the opportunities that have come my way. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the universe has a way of nudging us back on track when we least expect it. So, here’s to the journey ahead!