Almost there…

Created on Canva Pro

I’m about to finish a project.

It has been my year-long attempt to create something daily.

I’ve spent the whole year creating bookmarks.

Each day, I’d take a 6” x 2” blank canvas and see what kind of mandala would be created.

There have been so many iterations of my voice through this process.

I’ve found a rhythm too - one where I end up creating in the early hours when the noise of life is quietening down.

And as I’m on the final stretch to meet the 366 days this year, it really does feel like I’m taking stock at the penultimate moment.

The moment before last.

I’m unsure how much of an anticlimax the last day will be and what emotions will be there.

How will it feel on January 1st when I realise I don’t have to meet the challenge of a challenge I set myself?

But I do know how enriching this year has been.

I remember the questions my peers had in Brainstorm Road when I suggested I’d do this challenge at the end of last year.

I didn’t know I’d end up with so many different designs through a brand voice too.

The jugalbandi with the black and white and the experiments with different shapes.

And the push to sell them on my Store.

It’s important to take stock as you’re coming to the end of such a project.

Perhaps doing it at the penultimate stage makes more sense because you know it’ll get you to the finish line.

Penultimate has an interesting etymology.

It comes from the Latin word ‘paenultimus’ meaning ‘almost last’, and itself is a compound of two parts.

The first is ‘paene’, meaning ‘almost’ and ‘ultimus’ meaning ‘last.

‘Paene’ doesn’t seem to have a direct Proto-Indo-European root, but it may be associated with the concept of incompleteness. Which would mean it is derived from a root like ‘peh’ meaning ‘near’ or ‘around;.

‘Ultimus’ derives from the PIE root ‘al-‘ or ‘el-‘ meaning ‘beyond’ or ‘other’.

This root has also given rise to words like ‘ulterior’.

Taking stock at the penultimate stage, I wanted to look at the change at Brainstorm Road as we shift to being Brave Artists with Rick Kitigawa taking the reins to lead us forward.

There’s so much to be said about the bravery needed to ship and share your work; turn up daily and continuously add to the pile of creativity.

At this penultimate stage, I wanted to figure out why the bookmark was the thing I chose too.

I love books, and love reading.

But bookmarks also represent a stop.

A break.

I’ve taken a break in life too, and in that, I realised they represent a part of where I was too.

I wanted to encourage you all to take stock of what you’ve achieved in the penultimate stages of any projects.

That time just before the end.

Not only will it help you get to the finish line, it’ll enrich you in knowing how much you’ve achieved.

See my process on Instagram

Purchase a bookmark from my Store