Happy 2026!

Good Afternoon! 

This is Julie, co-founder of Afternoon, writing to you from our base in the Berkshires while I take a break from painting and dog management (1 poodle + 1 doodle) to watch some light snow fall outside the window. 

So, I woke up on New Year’s Day feeling weirdly excited for the upcoming year. What I was so excited about? I think mostly planning new experiences to get me out of my head, more art, more books, while sinking into winter’s coziness? More sauna time, too! In any case, here are some of the Afternoon-ish activities I’m looking forward to:

1. Collage. My primary art medium is oil paint but I’ve always admired artists that incorporate collage. I haven’t really made a serious effort to use collage in my work, but I always intend to. So, to kickstart things I’m going to host a collage workshop using products from Art Life Practice. I’m excited to try it out!

2. Movies. I watched so many amazing movies in 2025, but there are still so many on my very disorganized and unofficial list to see.  The first thing that comes to mind is more Ozu movies! I started watching them after they were mentioned and recommended in the book The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which I read at the beginning of last year. I then watched Late Spring, Good Morning, Tokyo Story, and Tokyo Twilight, and there are still a lot to be watched, thankfully. Some movies released in 2025 that I still need to see are It Was Just An Accident, Sentimental Value (and Reprise and Oslo, 31 August) and Frankenstein. And Nirvanna: The Band - the Show - the Movie! And Caught Stealing! And I’ll be waiting for the next Kelly Reichardt movie, whenever one comes out next. Ok that’s enough! 

3. Reading. Last year’s most significant book for me was Lonesome Dove, which I read along with my husband Kevin in our own tiny two-person book club. (It was so fun! Two-person book club: 5 out of 5 stars.) Most recently, I had started Intermezzo after Christmas and finished it in the first few days of the New Year, so my 2026 list is off and running. Now I’m reading I Deliver Parcels in Beijing. I have many books on my to-read list, but I don’t know which one I’ll feel like reading next. In any case I am going to keep up my book log as much as possible because it helps to process thoughts and observations about each book and to have a record to reference later.

4. More pop-ups for Afternoon! We had one at Wells Provisions in Charlemont, MA pretty close to Christmas and it was so fun. I am excited to have a brick and mortar location sometime in the future but I’m currently feeling not ready life-wise for a full workweek of being in a store. But I miss the in-person shopping/selling experience. So pop-ups: the best of both worlds? I have to scout out some good times and places for the upcoming year.

5. Watercolor. Another medium I keep wanting to get into. I gave it a try in 2025 but only for a few days. And I used it for some of the Lover’s Eye paintings. It’s such a portable artform for traveling, and it’s quick drying, and gives off fewer fumes than oils - I really want to add it into my regular practice. This time I want to try out our new Viviva paints (in a cork tray!), some metallic colors, and some granulated watercolors that I’ve seen around (but we don’t sell yet). Also I’m trying to think of an interesting project in which to use this accordion format.