Hello!!

I’ve got creativity pouring out of every orifice and I need to yell about it.

What I'm learning:

Rug tufting!

My friend Ben and I went to a workshop where we got to make our very own rugs! We sent a basic idea of what we wanted to make beforehand so Amber could get the colours prepared for us and had our designs sketched onto the canvas in her workroom when we arrived. Figuring out how to use the tufting gun was an adventure and it’s definitely the most physically active art process I’ve experienced. It was very satisfying seeing the rug fill in as we went and the tactile nature of the art is super fun.

Putting your whole body into creating something feels powerful and has got me thinking about working big. Throwing heaps of paint onto a surface feels like it would be energising and exciting. Not only was it great to try a new art form with a friend but I now start my day by stepping onto a bright and beautiful rug I made myself!

What I’m working on:

Zines!!!

Zines are a super accessible art form in that they can be as polished and professional or as quick and messy as you like. The entry to making one is as low as a piece of paper, some scissors and a writing/drawing implement. The ‘mini zine’ is super simple - just one piece of A4 paper folded into a booklet with 8 pages. It’s a great way to tell a short story, share something that’s been on your mind or simply a small booklet of doodles. This video goes into further details on zines and touches on their importance in disseminating information in an affordable way.

I have two mini zines up on my Itch.io page already, a light-hearted one about frogs and a sincere one about being AroAce (both Asexual and Aromantic). These are free to download and print for yourself right now! I’ve also started work on a heftier 28 page zine where I share the ways I am looking after myself while I process past trauma.

I’ve paused streaming while I work on this project and it has been incredibly cathartic and powerful to so actively and intentionally delve into it. Being able to really dig into a meaty, complex topic and absorb myself in the process has been really fulfilling. I am also using this time to go offline, reset and evaluate the direction I want to go with my work. I’m likening it to a spring clean of my mental space to go alongside the physical spring cleaning I’m doing.

A break from the norm every now and then can really help to take a step back and look at where you’re heading. I’m really happy with everything I’m currently doing but I’ve been feeling a gap where my need for face-to-face human connection isn’t being met. As scary as I find it I’m going to try to get more involved in my local art community and also think of ways I can expand on my streaming and art to feel like I’m meeting that need. It’s not something I need to fix immediately but helpful to have a goal when steering my actions towards the future.

What I’m reading:

Find Your Artistic Voice by Lisa Congdon

My Review: 8/10

This book is a collection of interviews with a wide variety of artists about what it means to have a creative voice interspersed with the authors comments and advice. I really enjoyed the diverse array of artists and their unique perspectives. Also the format of the book makes it super easy to pick up, read an interview and put it down again for later. There’s a lot of really helpful advice and tips for artists, a lot of which I had heard some variation of before but the author added interesting insight to.

The only reason this isn’t a 10/10 for me is the language used and writing style of the author. I don’t really gel with prescriptive wording and had to remind myself there are still valuable things to be learnt even if I don’t agree with the exact phrasing.

All in all I would recommend it to creatives either just starting out or those seeking a little reassurance that no matter which way you’re approaching your art, you’re valid. The impact of this book is less earth-shattering and more of a slow burn. I’ve been chewing over some of the advice and incorporating bits and pieces gradually as I work.

In Other News:

We’ve been chipping away at work for the online store and it’s starting to take shape. It’s the most effort I’ve put in and longest I’ve worked on something since I left university and the satisfaction of putting so much into building something tangible is indescribable. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope my updates are a welcome reprieve from the state of the world and a reminder that there is joy and hope in working towards a brighter future for all.

Sending love and light

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