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 turned 30. i stopped wearing makeup, drinking caffeine, and deleted my Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Still Life: Flowers and Fruit by Severin Roesen, 1850-55, on view at the Met
at the beginning of 2022, i dedicated myself to my art practice by promising to work on art for at least 15 minutes every day. i sustained this habit for several months, right up until the move across the country, and then stopped. the truth is that settling into a new place has taken all of my energy. while some of your art practices may thrive amidst chaos, i recognize and accept that mine does not.
in fact, the more boring and ordinary my life becomes, the more my art practice flourishes 🌸
accepting who i am and working with my quirks instead of fighting against them has been a theme throughout this fresh start. i’m sensitive. i require a lot of rest and exercise.
and when i give myself what i need, everything in my life seems to fall into place—my art practice included.
i want you to feel like everything is falling into place too. and so i offer the following reflection:
in what ways have you been resisting, shaming, or working against your true nature and how can you shift into accepting yourself and all your quirks so that you can approach your most important work from a place of wholeness?
if you hate using Instagram, could you abandon it and share your work somewhere that makes you feel a sense of abundance and possibility?
if you’re naturally a night owl, can you give yourself permission to work on your practice at night instead of forcing yourself to do it early in the morning?
reply to this email and let me know your thoughts. i’m curious to hear about how you are shifting out of shame and coercion and moving into acceptance and momentum.
in the last month or two i’ve picked up my pencils and started making again.
new ideas have been taking root. i’m nourishing them, giving them time and space and attention, and i can't wait to share them with you 🤠
xoxo,
sam
p.s. if you're curious to hear more about my move to new york, i made a video about it, which you can watch here ⬇️