It’s ok to talk about the weather.
It’s really hard to feel connected to each other right now because in the social aftermath of The Great Pancake followed by an indigestible salad of global catastrophes, many of us are feeling more outside ourselves. There are days when the only words we can muster up to other humans are about the weather. It’s either that or release the river of everything at once.
Sometimes when we talk about the weather we are really saying things like Hi, I see you or I’m a little lonely right now or I forgot how how this works or this year has been an epic shit show so far and I am dying to talk about absolutely anything else, please.
Your friends in retail or service jobs will readily tell you that it’s not just rough out there, it’s super weird, too. Oh, AND it’s an election year. Yeah.
So when people want to talk about the weather, meet them there and let it be ok.
Speaking of feeling outside ourselves, I’m in that place about my art. Part of it has to do with labels and perhaps too much time working in a categorized and understood way. Part of it has to do with the futility of chasing artist opportunities, something I have done a lot less of in the past year. Part of it has to do with the art that is putting a price on art. Part of it has to do with pages and pages of fine print and following instructions only to get screwed anyway. Bah.
These are normal feelings. Being an artist is a cyclical existence. I recognize I’m in that temporarily cloudy period that follows completion of a big project just because all that momentum doesn’t have anywhere specific to immediately go. The cloudy in-between time is actually filled with good stuff. True, but So Annoying.
So here are something things that have my attention while thinking about what to do with a bunch of art that I’m ready to repurpose or burn.
Boswords Winter Wondersolve is a crossword competition happening this Sunday (Feb 4). You can do it online or in person if you’re in the Boston area. The Twitch stream is worth tuning into if you decide to solve online. I’ve been competing with Boswords since 2020. It’s a nerdy and fun way to spend a Sunday.
There are also two new tournaments: Westwords, based in Berkeley, CA and happening in June, and MWXT, based in Chicago and happening in October.
Battle of the Rings is an annual challenge to jewelry artists organized by Danaca Design Studio in Seattle. I was introduced to Dana and this studio by my friend and jewelry artist Vicky Zomenou of Porpe Artifacts.
For Battle of the Rings, jewelry artists throw practicality to the wind to create amazing pieces of art. The jewelers for 2024 have just been selected and voting will begin in a few weeks. But you can browse creations from previous years, which I encourage you to do. Here is last year’s champion ring by Tyler Haas which was inspired by a geode.
Liz Groeschen’s Postpartum Underwear project is really, really good. From her statement about the project:
My hope is that this collection of Postpartum Underwear raises awareness that the psychological recovery and support a woman needs and requires after giving birth is just as significant as the physical recovery.
I first connected with Liz Groeschen by swapping artist trading cards, something we’ve done two or three times now. I’ve enjoyed following her work because of how she adapts her creativity to different formats. Give her a follow on Instagram but don’t blame me if you end up saving butter wrappers because of it.
I’ve spent a lot of evenings of the past few months mending and it’s become a way to turn an upside-down day around. I learned about KZ Stevens through a kit offered by Brooklyn Haberdashery (hands-down one of my favorite online shopping places). The kit sold out quickly but the pattern for its 1-yard minimalist top is available on her website.
KZ is offering a pay-what-you-will mending workshop focused on woven material via Zoom on February 11 from 11am - 1pm US EASTERN. The time details aren’t on the website link but were in her most recent newsletter so you’ll have to just trust me. This image showing a stack of wonderfully mended jeans might have been what prompted me to sign up.
I learned a new word last week. Chatelaine.
It’s a historical term for the women’s equivalent of a watch or wallet chain, referring to a fancy belt loop with chains to hold keys, personal grooming items, or sewing tools like a thimble and small snips. This is the Instagram post that showed me this rabbit hole. While the Victorian styling is not for me, the utility certainly is.
Also, how about this Etsy shop, Razzberries Studio?
Before moving to the Seattle area I had a jewelry business named Bead on a Wire, and I might need to dig through my tools and supplies to see if I can fashion a chatelaine that is more my taste.
I’m making a rare appearance at Seattle’s Pioneer Square 1st Thursday art walk tomorrow to see solo shows by several women artists whose work I admire. If you’re going, too, tell me and we can chat about the weather in person.
That’s it for now, friends. Tend your communities, meet your neighbors, and if you have something in your life that turns an upside-down day around, give yourself some time to do it.
-Andrea