Summer Newsletter 2024

ICAD, an upcoming workshop, and my creative process.

Hi friends,

Here we are at the solstice, the halfway point of the year. Some months have felt like an eternity (I’m looking at you, May) and some have gone by breathtakingly fast. But time marches steadily and reliably onward, and still all we ever have is the present.

I feel far more settled in Germany than I did when writing last summer’s newsletter, though I have some FOMO over the emerging cicadas in the States and am missing the fireflies in Baltimore. The good news is that here in Cologne there is an gelato place down the street, the swifts are shrieking happily above our apartment, and cherries are back in season. There are glimmers everywhere.

Here's what I've been thinking and writing about over the past few months:

• First up: I'm very excited to share that I contributed to a new art journaling prompt card deck. Check it out at here* — and peep my art on the box.

• It’s Index Card a Day (ICAD) season! Last year, I experimented with something totally out of my comfort zone: tiny mixed media portraits. This year, I’m going back to my roots and playing with mixed media and found words of encouragement. Keep up on all my cards here; I’ll be updating the blog weekly.

• I am finally finished with my most recent art journal. A flip-through video will come soon. See videos of previous journals here, and subscribe to the channel to be notified of the next one.

• “My kid could’ve made that” is actually one of the greatest inspirations for my own work. Here’s how you, too, can paint like a child.

• I’ve filmed and edited all the segments for my August Get Messy Art workshop on security envelope patterns — and learned a whole lot in the process. The class isn’t yet available for purchase, but if you register as a member, you’ll automatically receive access when it goes live and get instant access to a ton of other inspirational videos from amazing art journalers. Be sure to use this affiliate link*!

• Prefer a reminder for the individual Get Messy class? Shoot me an email and I’ll send you the link when it’s live. It’ll be a one-time email with no strings attached.

• When I feel creatively blocked, it’s time to try something new. I experimented with pink spray paint in my journal (and collected a whole bunch of tips in the comments).

• In May, I attended a concert — and was more fascinated with the composer’s process than the actual music. There is so much value in the paying attention, like pulling something apart to see how it's made.

• Watch a timelapse of how I create a background for art journaling, and another of the how I add scribble, drips, and splatter. The key is always intuition, lots of paper options, and the patience to let each layer dry before moving on to the next one.

• It’s the season of self care: less screen time and more sleep and veggies and deep breaths — and more reading. Thus far, I’ve most enjoyed or been impacted by Chain-Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottleib, and Maame by Jessica George. (Share your suggestions in the comments!)

• Social media feels more like the the wild west each day. If you haven’t already, I’d so appreciate it if you subscribed so that we can keep in touch, regardless of the whims of the powers that be. Know someone who might be interested in my work? Please share this with them, too.

Thanks for reading and sharing this space with me. The next newsletter will go out the first day of fall but til then, you can find me at my blog or on Instagram.

Take care,
Ingrid

*If you use these affiliate links, I earn a small percentage of your order. I'm truly excited about this work and am proud to share it.