Where I've Been Lately
It's been over 5 months / nearly 6 months since I’ve shared any update from my corner of the internet. I took an (un)intentional break from social media and now I feel like sharing a few noteworthy things since March.
March: An Inward Reflection
I continued quietly working on my 100 Day Project throughout March. It was more of an inward reflection on my creative practice than an exercise in producing or making a lot of art. I reviewed and took inventory of my art supplies in an Airtable database. I gave space to my other hobbies — reading books and doing puzzles.
I altered an old dictionary as a place to glue down loose ephemera I'd been saving.
Top row: rainbow buttons (postcard insert from Uppercase), Uppercase Magazine mailer (with art from Helen Dardik on the cover), Ironside (postcard from a restaurant in San Diego)
Middle row: Calrose Rice package, cover of the altered dictionary, Lisa Congdon postcard
Bottom row: line drawing of tulip that I did years ago, an old Summer Camp flyer, another line drawing and doodle of mine
I celebrated my 48th birthday. I reviewed my sketchbooks, taking note of how many empty pages were left in each one. And I made my first book structures, following a demo from the Sketchbook Revival Challenge.
April: Firsts and Small Wins
In April, I sold a few small paintings. (This reminded me that I'd like to launch an online shop on my website, to make it easier for folks to actually buy my art.)
I also did something I'd never done before — submitted to Uppercase magazine's open call, this one for circle-inspired art.
I joined the Sketchbook Revival Challenge for the first time and had so much fun watching demos and doing some of the projects, like painting fruit with gouache and making "crinkle art" on notebook paper.
May: The Journal Project
I started a "Journal Project" in May, gathering all of my old journals and beginning the process of releasing them from existence. It was interesting to read my handwritten words and thoughts from my younger self.
And I heard back from Uppercase — my artwork would be included in issue No. 70, and selected as the back cover art! It was a thrill to get that news, and even cooler to hold the magazine in my hands.
June: An Adventure in Italy
June was full. Last day of school, and an epic family trip to Italy. Despite the heat and the summer crowds, it was still a memorable adventure through Rome, Florence, Bologna (for the day), and Venice.
July: Resetting and Simplifying
July brought the need to reset, along with the desire to declutter and simplify. I wanted to get back into a creative groove. Instead of pushing myself to make art, I leaned back into reading for pleasure.
I'm still learning to be patient with my creativity.
I revisited some goals for my art business and started making micro steps toward them. We celebrated a milestone birthday for the youngest kid and entered the era of parenting three teenagers. And at the end of July, a huge home renovation project began.
August: New Routines
Which brings me to August, marking the first day of school for my 12th, 11th, and 7th grader. It was back to school for me, too — I registered for an in-person Art and Design course at the local college this semester. It's been another transition period, getting into the swing of new routines.
What's Next
Not sure what the next few months will look like, so stay tuned — I'm hoping to finally get that online shop off the ground, among other things. Thanks for sticking around during the quiet.
Drop me a message and let me know what your last 5-6 months have looked like. I'm curious and would love to know.