In this monthly newsletter: creative community, a creative show & tell happy hour, Creative Sunday featured artists, and a reminder to “just DO”

A creative highlight for me this past month was when the virtual creativity workshop cohort I facilitate got together in person for the first time ever. This particular cohort has been meeting on zoom for the past nine months. Some have been in various cohorts of mine since April 2024.

We talked about the highs and lows of the creative process and got updates on everyone’s passion projects, as we normally do. But this time we got to do it while doodling around a table, drinking coffee, and taking in the San Francisco views.

The doodle above is from that gathering. Interpret as you wish.

One of the best things you can do for your creative practice is spend as much time as you possibly can with people who inspire you. These are the people who want to hear about your wild ideas, who you don’t feel embarrassed around, who encourage you to keep going with your creative pursuits even when it feels hard or frivolous — and you do the same for them. After you hang out, you feel excitedly chill and clear.

Who are those people in your life? When was the last time you saw them? I know for adulting adults spending “as much time as you possibly can” may not be that often. Remember, a 10-minute call while running errands can go such a long way. (Also, weeding out people and activities that drain you is a great way to find more time.)

I hope you have a wonderful creative community, whether it’s made up of one solid person or several. And if you don’t yet, I hope you find yours soon. They are out there, looking for you too. Thank you to mine, including my wonderful workshop cohort.

May 9th Passion Project Show & Tell Happy Hour @ Local Economy!

I’m hosting a Passion Project Show & Tell Happy Hour at Local Economy on May 9th @ 5-7pm because the only thing better than engaging in your own creative passion projects is hearing other people light up talking about theirs!

Register here! We’re already almost at capacity so you’ll want to reserve your spot ASAP.

You can choose to be a spectator or show & teller – ideally including an object/visual (we’re channeling Kindergarten here). Each share can be anywhere from one to five minutes. Just remember: this is a celebration of the creative endeavors you do for you, not for clients and bosses. We’ll also swap tips for getting in the flow amidst many competing life priorities.

Email me if you want to volunteer to share. Impromptu spots may be available too! You can also just spectate and get inspired.

May 10th Creative Sunday Featured Artist

Our next Creative Sunday is Sunday, May 10th @ 2:00-4:30pm. Reserve your spot here!

May’s Creative Sunday Featured Artist is Tara Lockhart taking us on a musical poetry adventure!

In addition to a passion for writing poetry, Tara facilitates a range of amazing arts and music events at Sierra Meadows – the property in the Sierra Foothills you’ve probably heard me rave about before. By day, Dr. Lockhart is a Professor of English Language & Literatures at San Francisco State University.

Join us on May 10th to experience Tara’s choose-your-own poetry and music adventure. We’ll have a playlist keyed to creation, poetic or otherwise: largely jazz and similar to past Creative Sunday playlists. Fun poetry prompts will be based on the playlist. Consider bringing headphones if you anticipate wanting to revisit certain songs during our time together. 

You can also just come do your own thing as usual!

June 14th Creative Sunday Featured Artist

A look ahead to June 14th, our Creative Sunday featured artist is Nichol Markowitz, Oakland-based master print-maker and owner of Moonlight Press. Nichol will be teaching us about traditional Japanese mokuhanga printmaking, sharing her work, and bringing woodblocks so you can print your own. 

Nichol Markowitz is an Oakland-based artist working primarily in analogue print media (etchings, woodblocks, monoprints), archival collage, and ceramics. She received her BFA in printmaking (2007) from RISD and an MA in modern and contemporary art history from Azusa Pacific University (2022). She is a master printer and founder of the printmaking based project space Moonlight Press. She has participated in residency programs at the Vermont Studio Center, InCahoots Residency, and MI-Lab in Echizen, Japan. Most recently she has exhibited at the University of Hilo, Hawaii, The Imadate Art Museum in Echizen, Japan, and GearBox Gallery in Oakland, California and Parts Peculiar in San Francisco.

You can view her work at nemprints.com, Moonlight Press, and @nemprints. Be sure to check out more of her private and public upcoming workshops here too!

Future Featured Artists:

• July 12th: Portfolio Review with Eiko Nishida

Just DO!

I love Wendy MacNaughton’s Substack this week featuring a letter Sol LeWitt wrote to Eva Hesse in 1964. Be sure to check out her full post for so much great background! And remember:

“Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder, wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, numbling, rambling, gambling, tumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning, groaning, honing, boning, horse-shitting, hair-splitting, nit-picking, piss-trickling, nose sticking, ass-gouging, eyeball-poking, finger-pointing, alleyway-sneaking, long waiting, small stepping, evil-eyeing, back-scratching, searching, perching, besmirching, grinding, grinding, grinding away at yourself. Stop it and just DO.”

That’s it for this monthly newsletter. Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it, please share with your creative community.

Kate