On Art Career Slowdowns

Yeah.

I️ think that because the pandemic coincided with the beginnings of both marriage and parenthood for me (not to mention bitey-but-sweet-misunderstood-pit bull-ownership, which is at least as much of a stressor as early parenthood – Surgeon General, are you listening?),  it was hard for me to understand—when a book didn’t do well, when my Instagram engagement fell, when my college class had nowhere-near-enough students—which corner the slowing-down came from.  Parenthood probably hasn’t helped, but it’s worth it. The hectic beginning of my marriage probably hasn’t helped, but I’m—we’re—working on it, and it’s richly worth it, too (PSA: don’t give up on your sweet husband because he leaves the keys in the door all the time, finishes making dinner at one AM, and only cleans the bathroom once every four months after stripping naked. There’s hope). I’ve decided the slowing is mostly to do with larger stuff, tectonic plate-level shifts, out of my hands. Instagram doesn’t like maverick still-image cartoonists anymore. Publishing is on the rocks (there’s hope. Lean in). The identity of “young white woman” was artificially cool and edgy for a second there, and I benefited from that, and now it’s back to being a whiney, entitled, clueless Karen—an equally artificial label, I believe. (Besides, I’m no longer young). As for the Jewish part, it’s too much to write about. I would feel like I was shouting into the wind.

I’ve been trying to put my finger on why I’ve been resisting spending more time working on these Substacks, and I think I have put my finger on it. I feel like the popularity of Substack—and the fact that so many of us writers/draw’ers/drawer-draw’ers  are on here—is the result of magazine publishing shrinking. And that makes me very sad. I didn’t feel that way about Instagram. I felt like Instagram was filling a space for cartoonists that had been empty for a very long time—before my time. It’s not like we’d have had more places to publish our cartoons if we didn’t have Instagram. But I am feeling the dwindling of magazines, and I grieve, I grieve. It’s good to know where the grieving is coming from, though. And that it’s not a side-effect of parenting my beautiful bright-button sometimes-annoying son. Or of being married to a man who hoards the recycling “for art” rather than take it downstairs (executive dysfunction meets unrealistic planning). Or of something broken in my art.

Other things that are dwindling: neighborhood vibes, friendships, fun, books (I’d have liked to put that first, but it’s been going on for such a long time already), stores. I don’t know. I never thought I’d say this, but I really don’t like phones. They’re the handimen (handimen?) of AI. Or maybe I’m just a sore loser.

That is this week’s screed. Please share your own experience with unexpected career-changes – after a big life change, or just because — in the thread I’ll post. The truth is a patchwork.

Unrelated, happy September!

My son started public school, which was scary for him, having only attended daycare till now – and to me, having almost only attended small Jewish schools and a small art school to top it off. He’s doing great there, I think. I’m impressed.

Moving on, some question-answering. I am rebranding the question-answering part of this newsletter as Ask Mommy. (I see that that’s already a copyrighted online parents’ hub of some sort, and I will gladly cease and desist my using that name if asked. I just can’t think of anything else snappy right now). Dear Mommy sounded way too close to the advice column I already write for the New Yorker. I would like to specify that Mommy answers all kinds of questions, not only questions about parenthood. You are, all of you, her children. (Fun litmus test for how you feel about mothers/motherhood: did that statement give you the willies or comfort you? How do you feel about a powerful, question-answering Daddy? Depending on your answer to that one, you might be religious). Mommy prefers to answer things in an informal chatroom setting (I’ll put up a thread regularly where you can comment)—another thing that sets her apart from the New Yorker’s Pepper, who is a bit more reticent—but she will answer questions here, sometimes, too. This one was written in to Mommy’s email address, dearmommyquestions@gmail.com. Please send your questions there if you don’t want them on the public thread.

Here we go! One question and answer for you, a reflection your stories about writer’s and artist’s block, and a love comic to my husband(!) #CRINGE.