If I told you two years ago that 5 million people would die from a virus, it’d be hard to fathom. Add to that the storming of the US Capitol. The fall of Afghanistan. These days it’s hard to know what’s around the corner on a global front. Will Russia invade Ukraine?

How can we know what’s down the road for us on a personal level?

We like to think we have better control over our personal lives, than world events. And to some extent we do. Many of us know where we’ll be sleeping tonight and that we’ll have enough food for supper.

COVID-19 taught us that things can change very quickly. But as the latest wave of Omicron looks to peak, it’s time for hope. We should all carry that light in us because this year, is the year we roar.

What are you going to do in 2022?

Stop for a moment and think about all the lovely things that you’re going to foster this year. Things that make you feel good.

It’s the year for parking anxiety in a corner. It’s the year for switching off your mind from worrying about things you can’t control. It’s the year for joy.

Love the coffee you’re slamming. Feel the air on your face. We can’t know what’s around the corner, but we can know how we’re going to face it.

Here’s what’s on my dance card for 2022.

• Showcase my artworks through two incredible galleries with the summer exhibitions Red Fish, Blue Fish at Purple Noon Gallery and Hope: Group Show at Studio Altenburg through to the end of January 2022
• Celebrate my first major solo exhibition in a public gallery; What the Wayfarer Saw in March 2022
• Toast my artwork at the Blake Prize alongside great artists like Shaun Gladwell and David Charles Collins from March-May 2022
• Create a custom installation for Shunpike Storefronts in Seattle
• Explore a new series of artworks based on the naïve-style prize cow and pig paintings of the 19th Century that blend Australian stations with Chinese landscapes
• Experiment with papier-mâché to create contemporary versions of moon jars, prunus jars and more
• Hang out more with my adorable friends and family
• Holiday in Sicily in July

What lies ahead for you in 2022?

There’s things I am fairly certain that lie ahead for me, beyond the middle of the year things are fuzzier. There’s more I’d love to do. And as always there’s things whirring in the background that may change everything. For now, let’s bring joy to the year in every moment we can. What have you got on your dance card for the year ahead?