2021 was my year of liberation

Hey folks, ✋

I hope you are doing well! With this post, i would like to reflect on a very special year.

2021 started with tremendous challenges. Besides my job as a web developer, where a massive project for an art-museum demanded a lot of my time, I also had to manage 2 teaching assignments,  progress in my master’s degree and the development of my learning  platform. The platform and my studies were without question my biggest  priorities, but I also had to earn money to live. In February, I  realized that I had missed the mark with these four big challenges. The  consequence was a hearing loss, which I had to cure for several weeks.

It has happened to me many times in my  life that I have reached my limits. Fortunately, in the meantime I have  learned to use these experiences as momentum for change. When I was  healthy again, I made radical decisions so that this would not happen  again: I consistently declined requests for all projects and most  workshops and i cancelled my teaching positions. Moreover, contrary to  my fears, in May I suddenly had enough income via Patreon that I could  dare to consider it as my main source of income. I was suddenly healthy  and completely free of the things that got me into this situation, so I  could focus completely on the things that really matter to me.

Then in the summer, when I had completely recovered, Cases Reas (one of the creators of Processing) approached me and asked if I would  do something to celebrate Processing’s anniversary. And so the idea of  hosting a Processing Community Day as an online event was born. That was a key moment for me, because I  suddenly realized that the scene in the USA had me on its radar. That  was a wonderful confirmation for my work. The whole event was a very big  moment of happiness and success for me.

Yes, the year 2021 was an exciting year of liberation for me and I look back with great gratitude. This  gratitude goes to you! Without you, none of this would be possible. And  for that I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I am now very much looking forward to the coming year. In 2022 I want to focus on new courses, improve my community-features and create new valuable formats and features for the website. My overall goal is to provide guidance in the complex field of programming while making the magic and joy of Creative Coding as accessible as possible. For the time being, I will continue to focus on Processing as the technological basis, but also illuminate the creative principles and strategies beyond. 

I am also very much looking forward to further exciting collaborations with the amazing people who accompany me on my way. If all goes well, Dr. Martin Lorenz will support me on the way to completing my master's thesis on the intersection of Creative Coding and Flexible Visual Systems. When my master thesis is finished, it will hopefully make a valuable contribution to opening up Creative Coding to the field of Graphic Design.

I am really looking forward to these challenges. Now I want to wish you a happy new year! Stay healthy and I looking forward to see you in 2022.

Much love,

Tim