Can the world stop for like, one week pls?
Can the world stop for like, one week pls?
Details about a print zine, plus monthly links, published stories, and a mood board
Every day I visit an artist’s studio for the STUDIO VISITS series, it’s a good day. I’ve said it to my project partner, I’ve said it to Steve, and I’ll say it here: I could do this for the rest of my life and be happy. Yesterday I visited the bright and sunny workshop of illustrator and designer Zab Shavrick. We talked about shades of green, objects that mean a lot to them, compartmentalizing making spaces, and more that I can’t wait to share with you at the end of this month.
Come December, the interview series will feature eight artists in Portland—which I’m compiling into a print zine that you’ll be able to order no matter where you are in the world. Yes, that’s right! Print! For those of you who are local, we’ll have a launch party and everything. The details of the zine and the launch party are still coming together. I have to design the zine, find a printer, and plan a party. More on everything in a future letter, but now you know where this project is heading and hopefully you’ve excited too! I’m also scheming more ways to keep doing this kind of work because it lights me up. It combines my skills in journalism with my interest in art. My muses as I pull everything together include the art critic and author Olivia Laing, the curator Mariah Nielson of the JB Blunk property, and a little book called The West Coast Now that assembles 62 artists from across the Western seaboard. I’m so glad I picked it up at an estate sale.
Meanwhile, fall is in 14 days. Can you believe it? Early summer feels like a dream and August was a blur. I worked my butt off to cobble together freelance assignments, some that felt easy and others that took me far too long to complete. I still missed my income goal by a hair (more on that in my Monday freelance digests), and I feel barely caught up as we get deeper into September. Three more work trips loom, then it’s the holidays. If only the world could stop for a week, though a month would be better. Even then, I’d probably still want more time…
Be gentle with yourself,
Latest Stories
My publishing highlight of August was Chris Belluschi’s STUDIO VISIT. He’s a sculptor whose workshop is in the lush, forested backyard of a family friend. There, he carves wood and stone into abstract figures. Take a tour:
5 berry-picking hikes where you can forage right now (Backpacker)
5 ways to sleep better when it’s boiling hot out (Backpacker)
The ultimate guide to Scandinavian outdoor brands (Field Mag)
The latest trends in hiking apparel (Field Mag)
How hot is too hot to run with your dog? (Outside)
Tennessee is using bicycling to support rural tourism (People For Bikes, a new byline for me!)
September Mood
Monthly Shareables
Reading: Death Valley by Melissa Broder was funny and tragic. I loved the unhinged cactus hallucination scenes and suspense. When I started reading Penance by Eliza Clark, I thought it was nonfiction and thank god it’s not because things get dark real quick. Such an interesting take on the true crime novel. And right now, I’m making my way through The Dutch House by Ann Patchett because I adored Tom Lake. I’m not devouring this one as quickly, but it’s still a good sibling conflict story.
Visiting: Iowa City was such a delight! I visited my friend Emma who moved there for grad school (read her essay about it!). I loved seeing her new life there. We grabbed coffee at Daydrink, laid out at the public pool, and wandered the halls of the Stanley Museum of Art, where there’s a Noguchi, a Pollock, a Matisse, and a whole exhibition for Keith Haring! Don’t you write off the Midwest, people!
Watching: On a Delta flight, I finally watched the documentary 26.2 to Life: The San Quentin Prison Marathon, which features Rahsaan Thomas, who co-founded Empowerment Avenue, the organization that amplifies the work of incarcerated journalists and artists. I’ve been working with them for 3 years now, so it was special to see Rahsaan, the other guys in the film, and hear more of their stories!
Making: I haven’t been making much since summer keeps me outside, but projects on my list include this driftwood mobile and some lumpy clay pots
Buying: This Schoolhouse entry mat, a bunch of frames so we can finally commit to hanging art on the walls, this Picasso Bouquet of Peace print to put in one of said frames, a leather jacket for fall, and this Wirecutter-recommended underwear