Rain

and another workshop

I️ had a long emo period after finishing a draft of the first chunk of a graphic novel in, what, February? - and before I️ was able to cram myself into another blessed longish-term project (thank you thank you thank you kids book editor). To use a horrible AI phrase: “nobody talks about” the crazy mood swings you get when you’re not able to make art - or maybe you’re not able to make art during the mood swings. Bleak bleak bleak. Anyway, when I’m feeling bleak, I️ make stuff about feeling bleak. It’s cathartic. And a bit embarrassing too, misanthropic and navel gazey. Anyway, today’s post is one of those things.

workshop

But first, some housekeeping. After some serious phumphering, which I’m going to forgive myself for because I️ had a very young baby this past year, I’m climbing back onto the workshop wagon, at least for now.

I’m offering an informal zoom workshop more or less weekly to paid subscribers. I’ll throw out an exercise at the beginning of the workshop and answer questions and look at your work - you can post things in the week’s substack chat throughout the wook (wow I️ am half-brained. Week. If you must know - the other half of my brain is wondering whether/why my office smells like pee) for me/others to comment on.

I’ll Substack-email you a zoom link just before the workshop. This week’s is going to be, as an experiment, smack in the middle of a weekday: next Tuesday at noon.

prints

and books here at my website, as always.

rambles

Self-consciousness is a bit of a handicap - I️ can see myself deliberately subverting my own text, making it convoluted and less appealing. This is why I️ am not a journalist or a popular fiction writer and why I️ don’t have wiles, feminine or otherwise. Sometimes I️ lose friends. Though I️ think we all do, each for a different reason.

Curious how you are doing - maybe not curious enough to check the comments (self-consciousness again). I️ hope you all are doing pretty good - so appreciate you being here.

My son figured out how to use my iPhone camera and has been taking hundreds of pictures of my daughter’s feet. She’s just starting to know body parts. I️ asked her to “show us her mozzarella sticks,” which is what he calls her feet, and she did. Yesterday he asked me if I'd eaten any sucking candies during the day and when I️ told him I’d had four he threw a full-on tantrum. I️ think I’d told him he could tell me when I️’m allowed to eat candy. I️ forgot. Or he misunderstood.

The pee smell is getting worse. I️ hope it’s something that can be found - and washed.

Without further ado!

rain

drawing something like this is cathartic. posting it, on the other hand, feels like punishment. If you feel personally offended by it or just annoyed, I️ am sorry. Please don’t come to my home and pee on my (?)carpet.