It’s 2024, and I’m back with a new post. It’s been awhile! I had some unexpected housing drama that took up most of my time and energy between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. I’m sorry I missed connecting with you in December, and I’m excited to return to this small corner of the internet.
Personally, I much prefer the Lunar New Year to the Gregorian one, but there’s newness in the air regardless. These days, January 1 is when I start getting ready for the new year (a New Years Lite of sorts), and Chinese New Year is the official new beginning. It’s nice to have some extra time to get ready.
In the spirit of newness, I’m going to make some changes to this Substack and remove paid subscriptions. This past year was a year of creative experimentation, and when I started this Substack, I thought why not have paid subscribers! Try it out. It means a lot to me that all of you support my work through this channel. I’ll still post here monthly, if not more frequently, but removing the paid subscriptions helps relieve the pressure of printing cards for subscribers and keeping my posts consistent and structured. I have every intention of posting regularly while also staying open to experimentation.
This year, I plan to focus on painting. Paining is by no means a new companion, but I hope our companionship takes a new form this year, a more serious form! I’ve dabbled in a lot of different mediums thinking that some might be better for building a social media following or starting a side hustle (like illustration) while others were practical choices for small apartments (like riso printmaking). Now that I have a little more space at home and am less preoccupied by building a following, I can say with more clarity that I want to paint.
I was talking to a friend recently, and she was reflecting that while making decisions about the future and deciding what to do in life can be complicated, there are core desires that are, in fact, quite simple. She wants to write, and I want to paint. Figuring out how to make time to paint and pay my bills and all the other things in life is where the complication comes in, but I liked having “I want to paint” as a clarifying starting point.
So, with that, here’s to 2024! A year of painting and creative adventures, big and small.
What I’ve been reading
The Mindful Photographer: Speaking of dabbling, I’m going to start dabbling in photography and have really enjoyed this book. I’m very intimidated by cameras and all of the different settings and decisions to make when taking photos. This books is helping me see photography as more than just camera settings and as something that isn’t as intimidating as I thought.
What I’ve been making
I’m taking a black & white portrait painting class, so I’ve been making a lot of portraits. Portraiture is hasn’t ever come naturally to me among different visual arts focuses, and I’ve always wished I was better. It’s an exercise in patience, being bad at portrait painting when I consider myself a painter. Honestly, this class has me screaming on the inside for 3 hours a week. But it’s fun! We’re having a lot of fun! And hopefully, in a few weeks time, I’ll have a painting to share that I’m actually excited about. It’s something to look forward to.
What I’ve been watching
I have been watching Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, an anime about what happens after a hero’s journey ends and the final battle is won. I like that the show focuses on life after the big victories and flashy moments. It’s filled with lots of everyday encounters that create ongoing adventures. Since it’s a year of creative adventures, big and small, the show is a nice companion in this pursuit.