19 Comments

My goal has been to make art that is ? not art in the outer world but creative enjoyment, learning, and fun for me in my own world. I have never even touched watercolors before and that is what I want to use. Your writings provide a bridge that somehow makes this reasonable, possible, maybe essential. Just in case you wonder if all your readers are really artists...I thought I'd send this along.

Expand full comment

I very much appreciate this Deborah! It's exactly what I hope all this writing does, so thank you.

Expand full comment

I went and read this three times today! I hope it gets shared widely because it rang like a bell for me with so many people worrying at me about artificial intelligence -- humans are art-making, story-making beings, we can't help it. We'll do it no matter what. "I mean being an artist in the sense of being alive and awake in this world, of taking things in and translating them into something new, of being open and curious and expansive." YES! I am here for the everyartist! Thank you. 💖

Expand full comment

Oh gosh, THANK YOU!!! And thank you for everyartist inspo :)

Expand full comment

I totally have a “commitment problem with stickers” too! 😂 I like them a lot but don’t think I’ve ever stuck one on anything!

Expand full comment

yet another reason why we're friends!

Expand full comment

🥰

Expand full comment

I have all these lovely reward and inspiration stickers that come with my planner every year and I admire them and stick them in the back folder and there they sit until next year’s come.

Expand full comment

Yeah, but think about ALL the reward and inspiration you have on hand at all times!

Expand full comment

😂 but but but ... does the inspiration exist if you don't use it??? (There's a question.)

Expand full comment

Kind of reminds me of this post: https://aliv.substack.com/p/somebody-burned-my-200-candle

Which I guess is to say... maybe you should use the inspiration without abandon?

Expand full comment

After reading that, I feel more like I might need a sticker-using-avoidant self-help therapy group. What more is going on here?!

Expand full comment

Wow so this is truly a thing! I also got a planner with stickers and they got me so excited that I actually went to a sticker store to purchase more batches.. and then keep them in their paper bag forever.

Expand full comment

HAHAHA this is INCREDIBLE

Expand full comment

😂 I'm glad to know I'm not alone, honestly! There is literally a part of my brain that notices the stickers on occasion and says, "What is *wrong* with you that you can't even use stickers?" What a stupid thing to be myself up about!

Expand full comment

we probably need a whole essay about this.... The Non Committal Sticker Club

Expand full comment

YES we do! 🙌

Expand full comment

1000% yes please! 😂

Expand full comment

Make thy art! Thank you for starting today with these thoughts.

Expand full comment