Writing is writing is eating is reading is walking is napping is writing
some ideas for writing or making art that isn't writing or making art
After a grant application due on Mardi Gras day (don’t they know?) and more due soon, most of my writing time lately is attempting to distill my artistic practice into a statement on community, connection, history, the future, pancakes, material, sexuality, intention and a description of my left hand, in 50 characters or less.
I jest, but my writing tank is near empty.
My creative process this month is staying up till 1 am and while prioritizing sleep. Which looks like rescheduling 10 am classes, and laying out everything for work the night before so I can sleep, drink a cup of tea and make it to the airport on time. It looks like the usual post it notes, each representing a task, to remind me of priorities. It looks like joining a writing group for writing accountability, leaving another group. It looks like riding my bike as often as possible, sitting in the sun at least for a few minutes, and meal kits to feed myself.
My creative process includes late night collage, and mixing blocks of time writing with blocks of time cleaning up, or cutting and gluing. It includes few lines from a book before bed. And a nap whenever I need. I make plans with friends twice a week, get out to see art at least once, and cancel if I have a migraine.
I am not a person who feels bad about not doing enough; my struggle is to do less. How to take care of myself with enough sleep and health and food and social interaction and make enough money to live? How do I keep up with bad teeth and a grumpy truck and summer plans? I keep trying.
How do you feed yourself, creatively?
This week, instead of a long winded essay about why you should let me stay in your spare room and call it a writer’s residency, I have some things to share that may help you replenish the well. I may even follow my own advice.
Use your scrolling time for good and check out a literal world of collage with @februallage. A month of daily prompts means a whole day of looking at hundreds of interpretations of WOLF or DREAM in paper. Find your new favorite collage artist.
And while you’re looking at art, hear stories from Gaza, daily updates and reposts of stories of life in Gaza City before the most recent weeks of bombings from filmmaker and Journalist Bisan.
some times you just need a few pals to inspire you!
I just joined Write On! with Priscilla Thomas, a co-write group with many options for co-write times, prompts and support.
Sit and Write keeps it going on Saturday mornings and a great newsletter AND Julian offers support via office hours!
I’m continuing online and in-person collage Studio Practice classes in March!
I’ve been gathering up these books by friends!
Last year, Lara Buelow collaborated with me for a special Keep Writing asking for your big life questions for a book which is coming out next month!
My longtime penpal and writing inspiration Jay Aquinas Thompson has a new memoir out that just arrived in the mail today! I love a grief memoir! Really, I am fascinated but the ways we process grief.
Nate Powell, illustrator of the graphic series MARCH, who once ended a talk about the series with “up the punx” has a new graphic novel out!
Artist and illustrator Lauren Scanlon has self-published 4 zines—I received a copy of Thistle and Wilma in the mail, and it is beautiful.
Callum Angus is willing to collaborate on a future Keep Writing and I asked before I even saw his book A Natural History of Transition.
sorry, this one list is in person only in Portland, but there is so much good stuff happening:
The Glean residency showcase is at Paralax through 3/15—see what the artists made after access to the dump!
Portland Art Museum’s Black Artists of Oregon is up through 3/31!
Paintings and prints! from Helen Frankenthaler are at the Oregon Jewish Museum
Small Presspalooza anyone? Readings by small press writers at Powells on March 23, hosted by Kevin Sampsell, and oh, did I mention I’m reading?