Killing time
by being productive
I make my own little thank you cards to stick inside my packages. I’ve been doing this since I started selling my art online back in 2001.
I like to give them out for orders over $35 to show my appreciation, but sometimes I run out, like I did over the holidays. These take a bit of time to make, and tbh, since I feel most will end up in the garbage, I have to be in the right mindset to sit down and make a big batch. I had a few hours to kill, so I figured why not create some bright colorful art to give away.
Seeing the cards spread out like that reminds me of portraits I created a few months back. The colors are about the same although these portraits were made with oil pastels, and the thank you notes were made with gouache.
What keeps my heart awake is colorful silence.
Claude Monet
I found a new game about a month ago, and I’ve shamelessly/mindlessly played it over 350 times already. It’s called Arrowscape, and Maudie likes to watch the little arrows swish across my screen.
It does make a satisfying sound, I must say. 😁
I’m relisting some older giclee prints in my Etsy shop this week. I have 448 expired print listings, so it will most likely take me a couple months to go through all of them, and revise/edit/list or delete them. I’m working on it, tho.
Watching:
A silent French comedy short film from 1908.
I can’t imagine having to act knowing there will be no sound, which is why I love watching silent films.
Now AI has stolen my creative career, what art do I make? - a question many artists are asking themselves.
Reading:
A Brief History of Children Sent Through the Mail
!!! What the??
A Case for Joy in a Monetized World - “We know something’s wrong, but we don’t know what to do. We still need to pay rent, buy groceries, find a way to survive in a system that rewards efficiency over depth, image over presence. There’s no clear answer. Just tension, quiet resistance, and sometimes—if we’re lucky—a moment of clarity.”
I’ve been admiring the photography of Dennis Lehtonen. His photos of Greenland with its stunningly beautiful icebergs, and brightly painted houses make me so happy. I spent a couple hours looking through his photos, my mind is spinning stories of what it must be like to live there.
When I was young, my family almost moved to Greenland. It was the main conversation at the dinner table for weeks, but my father ended up turning down the job offer after much consideration. I remember feeling relieved, but also disappointed at the same time. I wondered how different life would have been there. I still can’t help but wonder all these years later. Different in a good or bad way, remains forever a mystery.
My artwork is available on Daily Paintworks, Etsy, and eBay.
You can also find me on pinksky & blsky.
I’ve also been posting notes here on Substack in between these longer posts.
Feel free to subscribe, comment, share or like any of my posts.
May you be well and happy.
love these little cards, AND your art. :)