It felt like just last month we were ringing in the 2017 and now 2018 is quickly approaching in just a matter of days.
This year—was a blur to say the least, a really beautiful blur but a blur nonetheless. It was also the year that I feel as though so much life and experiences were happening that it made it hard for me to keep track of them all and also still myself long enough to sit and process them. But here I am, the end of 2017 and this is briefly what it entailed:
a lot of growing, learning (always) and so much more sinking into who I am in all aspects. 2017 creatively was probably my most prosperous and expanding of years to date. I think society, especially in a Christian context has a way of telling us that when we talk about our accomplishments or professional endeavors then we’re “full of ourselves”, bragging or whatever. But this year left me feeling so proud of myself and what I was able to accomplish as a creative/artist, it left me so in awe of the ways God used me and how he expanded this gift past anything I could have dreamed.
At the beginning of this year, my friend Karen and I went to Alaska while she did what she did best and I love to do best, support. While we hiked through icy glaciers we talked about our dreams hope for this year. I said that I wanted to travel and expand this gift of poetry outside of California. And then of course, exceeding above and beyond my expectations for this year I was able to travel from Austin Texas- New Jersey- back to LA- to Thailand- back to LA- to San francisco- to Tennessee- to North Carolina – to Kauai in just under two months. Those two months went so insanely fast and each place held such an amazing moment within them. Traveling on your own teaches you a lot about listening to yourself, knowing how to travel, where to sit— the things you look for when you discover a new place. The people you meet and the stories you take home with you. I pray for more traveling in 2018.
In March of this year I released my second work of co-written poetry alongside poetry sister friend Sarah. We dreamt real hard and had two release parties one in Northern California and the other in socal, two big pieces of both our hearts.
Months after the release our precious project was being sold we found out that WBSP was being sold and shown in the last bookstore. I documented this moment with tears because well it’s important to do so— there were tears and rightfully so. If nothing else happened in any aspect of this creative career for me I would be perfectly fine because this moment was perfect.
In June I received an email from a Bicoastal MGMT… when I first received the email I thought it was spam or a really bad joke. But then I met with Jessica my now agent and she was so kind and amazing, put everything out in the open and answered all my questions. I left the meeting and immediately called my mom obviously just to confirm the realness of it all. I never EVER thought I would be a model, nor was I necessarily aspiring to be one.. not with the type of idea I had about my own body. A Lot of you know my “body journey” story, I was pretty uncomfortable and unsure of my own skin up until these most recent years. In fact, 2017 was the year I embraced and hugged these curves of mine the most, it’s when I found so much beauty and magic in my own skin that it made it easier to call home. These realizations were all before the modeling came around and how timely no?
For birthday 26th, I celebrated alongside some of my incredibly talented friends and people that I just love. I don’t know what made me throw an entire show for my birthday but it was hands down one of the best evenings of this whole year. Doing what I love around the people I love—hopefully heaven will be something like that.
Poem Feature in the beautiful Utterly Engaged
If I’ve learned anything about this year, it’s how intentional God is with our dreams. He is not only a God who sees, listens and responds but a God who dreams even bigger on our behalf. This year was above and beyond anything I could have ever asked or imagined. As I approach year 2018 I find myself having a somewhat creative switch. I have been knee deep in poetry and expanding this word craft of mine and then this year, I fell back in love in with acting again, something I never thought I would be back to —this however is not really surprising anyone around me. I’ve been cast in a music video and a short film that I’ll start rehearsing and filming for in January–WHAT?! It’s like the surprises just keep on coming.
What’s in store for this new year? Lots of yoga, more embracing this body and soul of mine, more risks and spontaneous goodness —like this
More projects —I want to create more this year and give it out to all of youuu. Stay tuned for album #2 in 2018, a few single releases of poetry and music and hopefully more collaboration projects with my V AMAZING TALENTED FRIENDS. In addition, another goal of mine for this year is to get this blog more active again, at least a post a month so stay tuned for that friend!
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So inspiring Arielle! Praying for more adventure for you in 2018 and even more God-colours woven into the already colourful tapestry that is your life! Keep Shining ✨
I’m proud and happy for you. I found your page through somebody on Instagram, I was drawn by the light you radiate and of course your smile. Thank you for sharing your moments, the goofy, the creative, the energetic and the real. Well done on this year’s achievements I’m wishing you another year of exceeded achievements.