Happy New Year! (Year of the Dog)

Part self portrait, part mantra for 2018.
This gouache painting is based on the Chinese tradition of New Year Paintings. Nian Hua are colorful paintings full of symbols associated with prosperity, good fortune, and cultural values. I wanted to paint something for myself that I could hang in my workspace to remind me of my goals in 2018. And it being the Year of the Dog, my own dog Finn obviously needed to make an appearance.