dear stranger-friends,
I'm writing you this artist digest from a sticky summer night in Istanbul. since my last letter, I traveled too much, then hosted / ran around the city with a series of visitors (including my parents) -- but, after all that, I've landed in a new phase of feeling embodied, peaceful, and in creative momentum.
(the answer to stuckness is always: movement. movement is nourishing, even when it's tiring.)
here's a snapshot from a cafe I visited last weekend, on an island an hour from the city.
I've been delayed at sending these (monthly) artist digests, but keeping up with my weekly letters, guide.notes. if these digests are the "what" of a contemplative, creative life., then my guide.notes are the ongoing "how". I'd be happy to write you there.
in this letter, I'll be sharing:
5 creative guides
2 animated drawings
2 personal reflections
1 books distillation
3 offerings
1 inspiration log
this is a long letter, filled with backlogged creations since March -- but I promise that you'll be hearing from me at a more regular monthly rhythm, henceforth ❤️
*
inspiration log
- watching: extraordinary attorney woo | a korean TV show about a brilliant autistic lawyer. it feels nourishing, complex, well-balanced, refreshing, and sweet -- with just the right balance of courtroom drama, moral philosophy, comedy, and a bit of romance. highly recommend.
- reading: thinking in systems by donella h. meadows | a little bit of a dry read, but recently I've been really interested in systems thinking as it applies to the creative process, and being an artist-entrepeneur. so far, it's been an illuminating, macro-view of looking at the world as an interconnected web of moving parts.
- listening to: that projector life podcast | I get pulled into human design binges every now and then - and as a projector, I've been hungry for knowledge on how to embody my energy in a way that feels truly aligned. Ardelia Lee's podcast feels down-to-earth, grounded, practical, and so densely full of value. I binge it.
- listening to: I am your korean mom | a podcast on doing business and marketing in a creative, spiritually aligned way. her energy is like a jolt of electric, and her episodes are so full of nutritious value for helping me reframe my business. I also binged this.
- watched: ethos | a turkish TV show about a cross-sectional slice of contemporary Istanbul society, with a web of characters that feel so real, and also representational of its cultural schizophrenia. I watched it in Turkish and felt like it gave me a deeper, richer perspective and sense of empathy for a very different world -- which is the most I can ask for from any TV show (or work of literature).
- read: 5 different books about money | recently, I committed to shifting my relationship to money (instead of avoiding/resisting it) -- as part of a embracing the "entrepreneurial" part of my work as an artist-entrepreneur.
- read: magic & loss by virginia heffernan | a cultural history / criticism / tech philosophy book that takes you through the evolution of different digital forms -- and was a witty delight to read.
yeah, i know who i am, but who are you?
all the cafes in istanbul usually have backyards with cats roaming around, like ruling kings. this one had a silhouette that made me do a double take. I took a photo, then I drew this animation.
yildiz park in late spring
yildiz park, which once was the backyard garden of an ottoman palace -- is probably one of my favorite parks in the world. i go there at least once a week, and always find a new secret enclave within it. one day in late spring, i felt like i was walking through a painting. so i drew this.
lonely work is swimming in the ocean alone
the joys & perils of working for yourself -- the act of doing lonely work, which means choosing to swim and wayfind in the big wide ocean, when everyone else is safe inside swimming lanes.
you must be your own flame
on being the flame you need, or three ways of harnessing fire energy in fueling / focusing your creative work: (1) flame of initiation (2) flame of transformation (3) as guiding light. in other words, my antidotes to work amnesia.
a moody creative's guide to work overwhelm
on growing a creative business as an emotionally-driven artist — dealing with moods and energy, creative procrastination, paralysis, inertia, and guilt. I offer 6 antidotes to work overwhelm.
a hermit growing creative community
a long post reflecting on my tensions of loving solitude and avoiding community -- being myself vs. being with others; being free vs. being in relationships -- and how I've changed my mind about all that.
break-ups as rebirth - self-care for heartbreak
my comprehensive guide for self-care to soothe heartbreak; (or the break-up rituals I created for rebirth) -- a list of accumulated processes, tools, and resources.
5 distillations from money books
a distillation of wisdom, notes, and quotes from 5 different money books. (they all basically say the same things)
money is a magical creature called moonstone
an imaginative exercise in rethinking and transforming my relationship to money -- by thinking of it as a magical creature (rather than, perhaps, a male figure i resent needing)
I need your help creating something new!
lately, I’ve been feeling a pull to form my own version of what I would’ve loved to have many years ago -- a very intimate, ongoing creative community-container-garden.
I’m calling it: microgardens — where we tend to our art, ourselves, and to each other. I’m imagining: a Discord channel, shared creative resources, live check-ins, monthly workshops.
if this sounds appealing for you, I’d love to hear your thoughts, opinions, suggestions. <3 please help me fill out this google form here!
visual play camp - free your intuitive eye
I'm excited to share a very new, 8 week course I'm currently fermenting/growing -- where I'll teach you everything I know about art as a process of seeing, distilling, and giving birth to your vision.
intentions for you:
- trust in your intuitive seeing eye
- letting go of inhibition, perfectionism, & paralysis
- cultivating confidence in your creativity
- free exploration, play, and experimentation
- moving from consumption to creation
- see the world as your museum / inspiration / oyster
the course launches end of July -- learn more, and pre-register here.
vote for a summer workshop topic
I've been throwing around the idea of offering a live (or even asynchronous) creative workshop these next few weeks (~2 hours, interactive, step-by-step, probably on a weekend, small groups). if that were to happen...
click to vote
guide.notes: weekly letters on creative world-building
weekly letters on the "how" of doing creative work, nurturing digital ecosystems, and world-building / business-building -- on the internet. here is where I nerd out on process, and share the nitty-gritty how-tos, insights, tools, and resources for the creative life -- mined from my own experiences. new letter every Thursday. sign up here.
thank you for reading!
thank you for reading and sharing in a little portal from my world. I'm wishing you: the abundant discovery of wind tunnels, the refreshing taste of strong strawberry-lemonade, and unexpected, ample days of rest.
as always, write me back anytime,
kening
support my work / feed my artist-world
your support feeds my ecosystem, and allows me to make creation and art-making - a more generative way of living in this world. your resources help me share my resources -- energy, soul, skill, time, art. thank you for any amount you'd like to give to feed my universe ♡
