Creative Recommendations for January

What I'm reading, learning, watching, and making art with!

Hi friends,

Happy New Year! That means it’s time for my Creative Recommendations for January! These are just for my lovely ~patrons~ aka my paying subscribers. 

Each month, I curate my favorite things I’ve been reading, learning, watching, and making art with. If you want to upgrade to receive these once a month, you’d make my day 🥰

A few notes before we jump in

• Climate Art 101 starts in 2 weeks! It’s a 6-week course to tap into your creativity and learn how to use art as a tool for climate communication. If you are thinking about joining and have any questions, shoot me a note. Learn more here

• To kick off the new year, I'm opening my calendar up for calls with a few folks who want to talk about arts and climate change! I've done this a few times over the past 2 years and love it 👋 Book a time here

• I’m hosting a free Intention Setting Workshop about Climate Goals and Resolutions with Mothers Out Front on Sunday. RSVP here.

Reading

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

This book, written by the author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, is deeply calming. I’ve been listening to the audiobook, which ties together Buddhist philosophy with practical applications to daily life.

One of my favorite sections talked about how “Creativity depends partly on processes in the brain when you’re not focusing.” I think about this often but haven’t always given myself permission to embrace it.

I can’t just sit at my computer or art desk all day to make meaningful art. I need to walk, exercise, see friends, and read new things. Sometimes these activities feel like distractions, but they’re a crucial part of my creative process. I’m working on writing myself a permission slip to enjoy them.

Making Art With

I’m making art with friends! A big goal of mine this year is to cowork and spend more time with fellow artists. If you want to cowork or co-create in New York with me, shoot me a note!

Yesterday, I tested out a coworking space with a fellow artist friend and am thinking I’ll become a member. We’re also plotting to get a little studio with a group of artists. Finger’s crossed! It’s going to be a total game-changer.

I’m making an effort to bring together and meet new art friends! I have some friends going to the opening reception of the “Drawn From The New Yorker: A Centennial Celebration” at the Society of Illustrators on January 16. If you’re in NYC and want to join, let me know!

Learning

I know this may sound bonkers, but I have never taken a proper watercolor class. I’ve watched tutorials on Skillshare and YouTube to hone small aspects of my skills, but that’s it.

My mom has been raving about a watercolor class she’s been taking in my hometown and she gifted me access to her teacher’s virtual class as a holiday present! It’s a weekly class, and I had my first one on Tuesday.

The class is on “loose watercolors,” a style wildly different from my usual precise approach. Loose watercolors focus on capturing the essence of a scene with soft movements and rather than the tiny details. Oh mannnn, it’s hard! My first painting of flowers made me feel like a beginner again, but I love the challenge of learning a new technique.

Only my paying subscribers get to see how mine turned out because it’s definitely a work in progress hehe 😅