Welcome to the first edition of (Not a)Newsletter!
As the title indicates, this is not a newsletter. It’s a blog post, but of course you knew that. I read a lot of blogs and love weekly link dumps because the internet is vast and I’ve seen very little of it. I’m always looking for fun articles to read, new websites to visit, and to gather inspiration where ever I can get it.
I don’t know if you’ll be inspired by (Not a)Newsletter, but I’m going to include what I’ve been inspired by lately. Will this be a weekly or monthly (Not a)Newsletter? We’ll see. We’re figuring things out as we go around here. Anyway, let’s get into it:
UKRAINIAN FLAG ART
The anti-Brexit group, “Led By Donkeys”, initiated a collaborative art project outside the Russian embassy in London. The group dumped paint on the street and let cars, buses, and bicycles spread the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Fortunately that the Ukrainian flag is simple and identifiable! I’m all for large-scale, participatory public art projects. The police didn’t love it, but that’s not surprising.
A MANIFESTO BY THE RAINCOATS
I’m a sucker for art manifestos from women artists. Usually, my interest is siloed to visual artists, but I’m making an exception for The Raincoats, a British post-punk band from the 1970s. Ana da Silva and Gina Birch have been “questioning the establishment and embracing an experimental ethos” for decades and share their insight in ten concise lessons. I found this manifesto on We Present, a website that features a lot of artist manifestos and other interesting articles about the art world.
THRIFT BOOKS AND ABE BOOKS
I love going to Barnes and Noble but I rarely purchase from them. Is that bad? That I like to use their ambiance to get inspired by books, but not support them financially? Maybe. But they’re a big corporation. I take pictures of books I want and find them on Thrift Books or Abe Books for much cheaper. I’ve ordered a lot of books from them over the years and have never had a bad experience!
I recently purchased three books from Abe Books for $20 (including shipping!):
- The Witches: Salem, 1962
- Let’s Make Letters!: Experiment, Practice, and Explore
- A Big Important Art Book (Now with Women): Profiles of Unstoppable Female Artists–and Projects to Help You Become One.
CREATURES BY DONNA WILSON
Egbert Pink Elephant | Ozzy Octopus | Nessa
I am delighted by Donna Wilson’s Creatures. They’re really special. I know they’re a little expensive for a “stuffed animal”, but they’re honestly a good value when considering the crafts-person-ship, fabric, and design. Some of Donna’s Creatures are semi-realistic; I’m drawn to the extra goofy creatures with lumps and bumps. I would love to use one of these as an accent pillow on my couch.
TO BEGIN WITH SWEET GRASS
I personally need more poetry in my life. If you need more too, I suggest reading the poem, To Begin With The Sweet Grass, by Mary Oliver, just in time for spring. This is one of my favorite parts:
Look, and look again.
This world is not just a little thrill for the eyes.
It’s more than bones.
It’s more than the delicate wrist with its personal pulse.
It’s more than the beating of the single heart.
It’s praising.
It’s giving until the giving feels like receiving.
You have a life—just imagine that!
You have this day, and maybe another, and maybe
still another.
LEARN HOW TO KNIT ON YOUTUBE
I’m using this tutorial and pattern from LoveCrafts to learn how to knit a sweater. I’m not done yet, but I’m getting close! I’m making an XL sweater and have diligently followed the pattern, but the sleeves are too too short and tight for my body- and that’s ok! I’m going to make new sleeves and save the ones I already made for another sweater. I’m really proud of myself because I genuinely didn’t know anything about knitting before. It’s worth noting that while this video tutorial is thorough, I did have to consult other videos to learn how to do certain stitches. I made mistakes and got frustrated, but I found resources to help me fix them. Trying something new is scary and requires patience, time, and forgiveness, but we can do it!