Small, hope-building art to restore your will to live
there is shame attached to needing to stop
This week I’m sharing art to look at if you haven’t the wherewithal to make anything, while I lie here on the floor waiting to thaw out.
As always, thank you so much for subscribing to this email, and if you like parts of it, or even all of it, share it with a friend or family member you think would like that part too.
I’ve been thinking of the things I can slow down on, and by necessity right now that’s ‘everything’
As I wrote last week, this period of increasingly frenzied creative production couldn’t last, and here I am, frozen up & overwhelmed & generally unable to function very well at all. I am thankful for the support of my husband and the Langdurig Zorg team from the Netwerk geestelijke gezondheid (GGZ) Kempen.
I feel very vulnerable talking about various health issues online, but you can’t just go around pretending you don’t have anything going on. Most of the time, lately, things have been great, but masking everything can be exhausting when it comes crashing down. I just want to be honest, sometimes, you know? Everyone does.
There is shame attached to needing to stop: or, on holding myself to neurotypical standards
I made public announcements everywhere online about a climate art project and it always bruises to realise you can’t commit to something you took on when you were that Frenzied Superhuman Creator of Wonderful Things.
There will be jellyfish. As many as possible. Just on my own terms. Read about it here: When Climate Activism Meets Art: Introducing ‘The Jellyfish Bloom’
I think in moments like these it’s really relieving to remember that you aren’t built or wired the same as other people. Nobody is. And trying to hold yourself to some standard that was never going to work for you in the first place is just folly.
Art to look at if you haven’t the wherewithal to make anything
Thank you for reading! I might be taking a break next week, we’ll see. Until then, however, I hope you have calm days and found today’s email restorative.
Jessica
Hoping you’re experiencing some gentler days now Jessica and I appreciate your honest sharing and honouring of the realities of your health and energy and creativity. It gives us all ‘permission’ for want of a better word to do the same. X
Wonderful art, Jessica. Thank you. Feeling SOOOOO inspired right now.... 🙌