Breaking through the block: How healing my inner child led to artistic freedom
For many years, I have wanted to be a person with a consistent creative practice. I want to be an Artist. And yet, I’ve struggled to make much progress...
‼️ omg ‼️
I’m excited to share my first completed work of 2023 — Exclamation 1. Exclamation 1 is 22” x 30”, colored pencil on paper. The inspiration Exclamation 1 was...
2022 Review & 2023 Goals
Hello friend, I hope the first month of this year has brought you peace and clarity. It’s my first winter in New York, and it’s grey and wet, but I still...
what's really blocking your creativity
last week i wrote about creative blocks, aka the thoughts and behaviors that prevent us from doing the work that matters most. today i’m writing to you with...
why it's so hard to do the work that matters
this is part 2 of a three-part series where i’m writing about doing the work that matters, why it can be so hard to do this work, and the things i’ve done to...
what i’m talking about when i talk about “doing work that matters”
i use the phrase “doing the work that matters” a lot in these letters. i realize that i should probably clarify what the hell i’m talking about. so i’ve...
how to do the work that matters: a prompt for moving out of shame and coercion and into wholeness
hello friend, it has been a while since i last sent an email. in the last 6 months a lot has changed! i moved away from home all the way to new york. i...
art practice as safe space for big, messy emotions
Hello hello! I’m going to keep it brief this month because my head is a beehive and I’m struggling to write anything coherent. This month in the Studio Vlog...
Starting an art practice & making bad art
Hello friend, This month I officially started my 2022 goal of making art for at least 15 minutes every day. As I sit down to practice, I sometimes draw or...
A year of (art) practice 🧑🎨
Hello, happy Sunday, how are you? The beginning of the year is always full of PLANNING templates and spreadsheets and usually I get very into them. This...
2021 review: Reflection questions & journaling prompts 📓
Hello friend, Someone once said to me that Decembers are the weekend of the year, and boy do I feel that. I think most of us could take the entire month off...
Advice for your abandoned artist 🧚🏻
Hello hi it's November! This summer I felt a surge of creative energy. I started writing again, updated my website, prioritized sending this newsletter on a...
Creativity is a spiritual practice: How The Artist's Way changed my life and helped me work through burnout
This week I’m coming to you with a blog post detailing my experience reading The Artist’s Way. For those of you who have never heard of The Artist’s Way,...
Practical magic 🔮
Earlier this year, I was a mess. I'd wake up ten minutes before work, slither upstairs, and just try to make it through the day. Morning breath and...
Social media sabbatical 📴
Hello friend, This week I abruptly decided to take a social media sabbatical. After feeling a bit too tethered of late, I chose to log off. For the first few...
Autumn reset 🎃
Good morning. Happy Sunday. A few days ago I rearranged the downstairs living / art space. Before, I wasn’t making art there because it was cluttered and...
Creative manifestos for artists and makers
Hello friends, This week I published a list of my six favorite creative manifestos, principles, rules, whatever you want to call them! Here’s the list: A...
Hangry.
Sometimes when I'm out running errands, I get hungry. Hangry even. Tummy growling, headache mounting. My brow furrows. I start rushing to get things done....
Less like Squidward, more like Spongebob
Thanks to Reddit, I have a theory about Spongebob. The theory is that we all come into the world as Spongebob—excited and imaginative—and then, as life...
What are you devoted to?
Hello hi how are you? It’s September!?!? This month has always felt like a new beginning for me, a remnant of the start of a new school year I suppose. So...
What healing actually looks like
Hello friends, Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about healing. What does transformative healing look like within myself? What does it look like to heal...
Small projects → big impact
Hello friends, I’m excited to report that the stickers I designed are available now on Kickstarter! I made these five sticker designs for Kickstarter’s...
I Love Small Projects! Announcing Bumper Stickers for Birdwatchers & Existentialists
Hello friends! Just popping in for an exciting announcement: I’m launching a very small Kickstarter tomorrow! You can follow this link to see the pre-launch...
What will you tell your grandkids?
Yesterday, a friend sent me a short documentary about Mourning Doves. This video was special because it featured her grandfather. It was produced in 1959. I...
Free creative project planning templates to get organized for the new year
Hello friends, I'll keep it short and sweet because I've been really enjoying my time off this past week and I want to get back to relaxing + designing some...
Struggling with imposter syndrome? Try this.
I've struggled with imposter syndrome ever since I decided to become a designer, which dates back to 2014. My flavor of imposter syndrome looks something...
Cycles and spirals and letting go of "should"
For some reason, I’m feeling more creative lately. The feeling started in late November. I picked myself up and started writing 750 words a day. As I write...
Why habit tracking is overrated
Look, I’m a nerd for organizational systems and project management. I love having a place for ideas and a system for executing them. I love Notion, Google...
Satan loaf and other things I'm grateful for
My holiday looked different this year, as I'm sure it did for many of you. I cooked food and dropped it off for my parents and sister. Made time for a couple...
How to pick a niche when you're a multi-passionate creative
If you’re like me, you probably have an abundance of interests and creative project ideas. I used to get caught up trying to “follow my passion” before...
Bad advice: Creativity is a measure of one’s ability to self-brand
In today’s world of online business and social media, there are a lot of resources out there teaching us how to “define our personal brand.” I used to love...
Building community > building technology
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship with technology. Like many of you, I use a variety of apps, websites, and digital tools to manage...
I have been hiding in a weird place...
Hello friends, Do you have a difficult time describing yourself to other people? You tend to word vomit whenever someone asks what you do? I struggle with...
Your inner child wants to play
Hello friends, I’m still in-between projects. It’s uncomfortable, as I’m the kind of person who always likes to be doing something. In last week’s email, I...
How to prioritize your next creative passion project
Hello friends, How do you prioritize the next creative project to work on? I’m currently working through this process myself, as I’m almost done building a...
How to honor your feminine energy during these strange times
I've started taking on more responsibility at work. And while it feels good to be recognized for my skill and earned knowledge, I find myself completely...
You don't need to be more productive. You need to be more human.
Hi friends, I used to read dozens of articles and self-help books about how to be more productive. But last year, I hit complete burnout and decided to quit...
Reset & recharge: How to lean on your creative practice to fill your spiritual well
Hello friends, I had one of those tough existential weeks. Spent too much time wondering "what is the point?" and worrying that life is passing me by. So I'm...
How to plan and launch a creative passion project in 6 steps
Hello friends, I recently published How to launch a creative passion project today without feeling overshelmed. In 6 simple steps, you could be on your way...
i wish everyone had a boombox in their kitchen
Hello friends, This week I tweaked my back. I wasn't doing anything athletic or impressive, but nonetheless found myself kneeling on the kitchen floor with a...
I have been quiet for too long
Hello friends, I have been quiet for too long. Due to my privilege as a white woman in America, I simply do not have to confront racism in my daily life. I...
How to start a daily journaling practice
“We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience.” — John Dewey Have you ever tried to start a journaling practice but failed to make...
This is what my at-home creative space looks like
Hello friend, I recently came across this photo series of remote office desk setups. I love seeing other people's spaces, especially ones where they do...
Two poems about oranges
Hello friends, It's been tough, hasn't it? Here's a snippet I wrote in my journal back in March: Day 23982 of quarantine (ok, it's actually day 19). I opened...
A list of 27 social distancing activities
Hi friends, It's been weird. I spent the weekend at home, flitting between calling family members and working on projects that I have some control over. One...