Happy New Year and welcome to another monthly newsletter installment. I'm taking a big leap this year to try to blog more and so far, I'm loving it. I cannot begin to tell you the peace of mind this has given me throughout December and hopefully for the rest of the year. Now that I’m a mother, the pace of social media has felt unbearable. To have so little time in the studio, and then to record my process, and then to make and design all these pieces, and then to take photos was just too much.
Who am I becoming? was the question I asked myself at the end of the year. I’m becoming more sentimental, I’m becoming more mindful, I’m becoming nostalgic for the days before the intensity of technology; I’m relaxing more and more into my process without wanting to rush it just to show it on social media, I’m taking it day by day and being totally fine with that. But social media doesn’t have space for that and the superficial demands were becoming just that, demands. And isn’t the whole reason why I started my business was so that I wouldn’t have a boss? Yes, partly, but mostly because I believe in having freedom. I’ll allow certain things to become my obligations, but social media? I don’t think I need to answer that.
Writing Prompts
I’m kicking off the new year with a mini-series of Writing Prompts which I’ll be releasing every two weeks until April. All artists and makers are welcome to participate and share their responses with me. I just thought it’d be fun to have a kind of introductory section on my blog, and what the heck, why not include anyone who wants to join?
Photo Class
I’m taking an online photo class and it started yesterday. I have no idea how this will shape my photographic perspective but I’m eager to learn some new tricks. You know how passionate I am about getting the perfect shot, so this will be a fun way to explore more of that medium.
Readings
I’m currently reading two books by my favorite influencers (who don’t feel too influence-y). One is about goal-setting by Tara McMullin and I absolutely love her weekly email newsletter. Her work is thought-provoking and has really shaped how I view my business. Her book breaks down the systems that are present in our American capitalist society and how we fight, and overachieve, to meet these unattainable goals. Instead she presents how we can set goals without feeling like we’re on this continuous rat wheel of obtaining goal after goal. It’s titled What Works and I’m placing a link to her website here.
The other book is titled An American in Provence and it is by one of my favorite photographers/artists, Jamie Beck. I began following Jamie some years ago and she’s one of those people who have a magical way of looking at the world. I’ve been so inspired by her photography and when she came out with a book, I was excited to read about her experience living abroad. I have to keep stopping myself as I read because she’s putting to words a lot of my experience with living in Spain. There are things that I don’t think I’ve had a chance to put to words and I’m thankful that she has. I’m inspired to reflect more on my time in Spain because of it, so expect to see more writings centered around that chapter in my life. You can view her Instagram by clicking here.
On the Jewelry Front
The Aeneid collection will start taking it’s first baby steps this month. I was hoping to get to it in December but my hibernation turned into something else entirely. I started on several projects for myself and I’ll finish those this month, but I couldn’t step away from my studio. I guess the pregnancy and first months of motherhood were enough of a break from the making and now that’s all I want to do.
Ok, that’s all. Happy January and yay to a new year!
You’ll hear from me soon,
Caitlin