We need to find ways to actually help ourselves Do The Thing we most want to do.
In the midst of a period of a lot of change in my own life, I’m trying to do just that. And instead of doing my usual re-invention of the wheel, this month over coffee I’m reviewing the ghosts of creative practices and projects past to think out loud with you through what worked, what didn’t, and why.
**Just the act of going back through my files and photos to find a few examples for this post is really helping with feelings of creative inferiority and lack of productivity, too—just remembering I haven’t always had a hard time getting into creative flow, or that if I have, it hasn’t lasted forever, is helpful! I highly recommend taking a quick tour through creative times past if it’s been awhile—you might find some things to be really proud of that you’ve forgotten!
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Lots of big life changes around here
A successful picture book launch with
(you can still preorder a copy!)All the projects below!
PROJECTS I MENTION:
#100daysofgatheredtruths (2018)
You can see them all here, but here’s a little sample:
Inktober (2018)
A handful of (mostly) brush pen illustrations based on Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane:
#dailystrokesdifferentfolks (2017)
You can see more here, but for a start, here’s my “nervous fisherman,”:
#100daysofstorysketches (2020)
I posted all of these (with their book excerpts) on Instagram here if you want to explore more! Many of these were such big hits, I added them to my Etsy shop as Polaroids.
Daily timed figure and portrait drawing (2021)
You can see more through this video I made back when I did this practice!
Things Not Said (NaNoWriMo 2023)
You can learn all about this project here, and as a paid subscriber you already have access to read the whole novel!
Here’s a little sneaky peek excerpt if you’re not sure yet:
Grandma smacks her lips together, finished, and smiles at me in the mirror.
“Oh!” Her eyes light up as she gets an idea. “Hang on a minute.” She digs around in her makeup bag and pulls out another lipstick tube with triumph. She waggles it at me, grinning.
“What do you think? Is this witchy enough?” She asks.
I pull off the cap to reveal a deep, warm purple—much too dark for anything I’ve ever seen Grandma use.
When did you ever wear this!? I don’t have to even sign it—just ask it with my facial expression, and she knows what I mean.
“I’ve dressed up for a lot of Halloweens before, you, kid.” She winks at me, and I come to stand with her at the sink. I wonder if she and Grandpa got ready for the day together, squeezed into this little tiled bathroom, over the pedestal sink. He would probably tie his tie here while she finished her makeup and put on her clip-on earrings.
Grandma watches and gives pointers from the side as I copy her movements from before with my “witchy” lipstick.
And Mom. Did she ever come in here to get help with her makeup like this? I picture them here together, too, and it about breaks me.
Learn from my graveyard of forgotten creative practices