Winter Newsletter 2024
Productivity and burnout and rest.
Hi friends,
Whew. It’s been a while.
In September, in the midst of an insanely busy few months, I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to give the necessary time and attention to my fall newsletter. I skipped it and, shortly after, I realized I was burning out.
I wrote recently: “When the world is too much or I've been working for too hard for too long — or both — I intentionally slow everything down. Recently, I have been creating less often and posting on social media even less. I have been taking naps. And I’ve been feeling a strong pull to the local and the analog: walking in my neighborhood. Connecting with friends. Reading. Snuggling with cats. Cleaning my apartment.”
In between the busy-ness and the cocooning, here's what I've been thinking and writing about over the past few months:
“Discovering your style” can be a trap. After a long creative rut, I started experimenting more in my art journal, breaking out of old tired patterns and exploring new materials and going back to early creative days.
There is something incredibly magical about connecting in person with others who love what you love. This fall, I met up with art journalers Karen Liz and Caylee Grey, founder of Get Messy.
I strongly believe that creativity is your birthright. You are allowed to make good art, terrible art, weird art. Screw the gatekeepers. Make for the sake of making and enjoy the process.
My grandpa and his wife have been dealing with serious health issues for more than a year. For the cover of my new art journal, I chose atlas pages that remind me of them. (In 2022, I wrote about the bittersweetness of life’s highs and lows.)
Saying no is as important as saying yes. After nearly a year at my community studio, I decided to let it go.
My website got a facelift! The mobile version needs some tweaking, but if you have access to a desktop, have a look.
Thanks for reading and sharing this space with me. I truly hope these last days of 2024 are restful, reflective, and exactly what you need.
The next newsletter will go out the first day of spring but til then, you can find me at my blog or on Instagram.
Take care,
Ingrid