So many things to love about your writing today! The visual of a field growing blooms of memory just tickles my fancy!
I DID learn sign language. Not ASL, but, rather, SEE (Signed Exact English). My children were not pleased because no matter the situation I could “yell” at them. I had very well behaved children - lol. My oldest boy, almost 29, went deaf at 4 months, but because of signing, a cochlear implant, persistent speech therapy and a mother who knew no better, he is rarely pinpointed as being Deaf.
As always, I look forward to your Sunday morning musings. It’s the first thing I read and your efforts are well appreciated. Have a good week, Amy!
Missed seeing you to draw this morning, Michelle! But thank you so much for reading this and taking time to comment. It was a delight to see the comment. I so appreciate it, and I had no idea about your connection to signing. That's pretty awesome all in all! (And I'm glad cochlear was a success for your son.) I hope you have a good week, too.
It’s always such a pleasure to have my morning coffee with you.
Last year for ICAD, I did hands. It was a lot of hands.
I’m definitely off-roading and lost in the woods this week as I prepare to give a demonstration on Wednesday. I’ve never done this before so I’m dreading it. Can’t wait to get to Thursday!
Thank you so much for sharing coffee time and for commenting, Julia! What is the demonstration on? I hope it goes well -- I am sure you will be fantastic! Deep breaths. Have fun with it!
I'm new to your substack. And I just want you to know that already I am appreciating how much effort and thought and care you put into your writing.
I am a long time avid journaler. And have been spending a lot of time drawing and painting in the last year. In the same time (the last year), I have dabbled with putting the two together, so I appreciate all of you are pointers and prompts. I really enjoyed today's email because so much of it resonated.
I love the idea of looking at the same thing in different light. I think it's a great way to dive deeper into the way in which light and shadow impact what we see in our world. And I'm inspired to find a view to look at daily. And I'm sure by doing that I will recognize patterns and changes in light and color.
I'm fascinated by languages and signing has had a role in my life with my stepfather who passed years and years ago who was deaf. And my mother spent many years teaching yoga to deaf children at the Maryland school for deaf. So I was exposed to signing for many many years. I also remember being very interested in Braille and Helen Keller and spent time in high school volunteering at a non-profit supporting the blind. Ultimately, my love for communication in a different ways in which people communicate took me into learning different languages, specifically Russian. I don't use it anymore, but I have a deep appreciation for different methods of communication visually and linguistically. I've been doing a lot of continuous line drawing, drawing my hands, and using different pens to draw things and people in my life.
This week I'm taking my two oldest boys who are 13 and 16, they just turn those ages last week, to New York City. I haven't traveled in a while and I'm excited to bring my sketchbook along.
Thank you again for all of your effort in sharing what's in your heart and on your mind. I'm inspired by it to be more vulnerable in my own journal writing which I do in the morning everyday.
Emily - thank you so much for reading and for commenting. I am always happy to meet people who love to write and draw and who are interested in that intersection on the page. To help fuel that process, Illustrate Your Week provides simple prompts to mix into other recording, but there are, of course, so many ways to keep an illustrated journal..... and lots of them are daily. I hope you and your sons have a wonderful visit to NYC - and that you do find time to draw. (Take lots of photos, of course, too. They are great for drawing later.) --- I'm fascinated that you have such a varied history with signing (and with Braille). If you are an Instagram person, I hope we are connected so I can see your work.
There is a new Star Trek series out called “Strange New Worlds.” Season one is out and I am impatiently waiting for season two.
I have always wanted to learn ASL. My younger son is primarily non-speaking, and I have always thought it would be great gif us to be able to communicate that way. I still might start learning.
I credit #illustrateyourweek with keeping me creating on a daily basis.
I am perplexed by how to handle social media as well. I love seeing everyone’s art, and I do dream of being “discovered.” But my primary goal is to create or find community. Between the kids and the fact that I don’t fit in where I live, I haven’t managed to make any social connections. Although I am pretty much a hermit, I still manage to get lonely, and my online communities are what keeps me going.
I am happy to know that the illustrated journal is keeping you creating - but I've seen how much you do! I'm glad though. Art can really be a balancing factor. That's always been true for me. I made a note of the Star Trek series - I haven't seen it. I definitely think it sounds like signing would be so helpful for all of you. When I was trying to track down something related to this over the weekend, I watched a number of videos. There are so many good ones now..... I even thought, once again, how much I would love to do it. As for community.... it can be hard. And virtual spaces and groups can be really important. I'm so sorry to know that you don't feel you fit in where you live. Being lonely is absolutely a real thing. I'm glad at least we get to draw now and then together. In some small way, I hope it helps.
Curious to hear more about some of the things you were thinking about writing- especially reasons for illustrated journaling and your “audacious” book thoughts.
I like to interact so wanted to share my experience of journaling yesterday with you 😁.
I included the Spock sign in my journal yesterday after reading your post... I love drawing my hands and this was a great opportunity... But decided to do an icon version of the sign since my little journal didn't have a lot of space. But before I did, I looked up the story behind it. Purportedly Leonard Nemoy who spent his religious upbringing in a Boston synagogue saw congregants using this symbol on a Friday night Shabbat service. (https://www.startrek.com/article/the-jewish-ritual-that-led-nimoy-to-create-the-vulcan-salute). Really neat story. I converted to Judaism 17 years ago... but don't practice anymore (another story)... And I remember Friday night services to be the most special. I never saw that hand signal but I don't doubt the story. Because I like to dig for more info on things that pique my interest, I looked it up further. It is indeed a beautiful hand gesture used in many Orthodox Jewish congregations - a blessing given to congregants. Picture here... https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2878949/jewish/Is-the-Vulcan-Salute-a-Jewish-Symbol.htm
Also just wanted to thank you for making me aware of National Semicolon Day. I read about that too yesterday and alongside the Spock sign and the quote that I had chosen independently from all of the above, they meshed nicely together.
I really enjoyed making my journal art yesterday. It was part of the reason that I ended the day full and happy.
Thank you for the follow-up! I tend to look things up like this, but this isn't one I looked up, so I really appreciate you sharing this background information and the resources! (I saw your post at Instagram and haven't gotten there to comment yet -- but you were BUSY!) I'm really glad that you took a look at National Semicolon Day, too. I'm glad you had a good art day -- ending full and happy sounds pretty awesome. (By the way - we sometimes draw on Sunday mornings. If that is something you might be interested in, email me so that I have your address, and I can let you know the details. People work on all kinds of art -- not everyone works on illustrated journal pages, but some do.)
So many things to love about your writing today! The visual of a field growing blooms of memory just tickles my fancy!
I DID learn sign language. Not ASL, but, rather, SEE (Signed Exact English). My children were not pleased because no matter the situation I could “yell” at them. I had very well behaved children - lol. My oldest boy, almost 29, went deaf at 4 months, but because of signing, a cochlear implant, persistent speech therapy and a mother who knew no better, he is rarely pinpointed as being Deaf.
As always, I look forward to your Sunday morning musings. It’s the first thing I read and your efforts are well appreciated. Have a good week, Amy!
Missed seeing you to draw this morning, Michelle! But thank you so much for reading this and taking time to comment. It was a delight to see the comment. I so appreciate it, and I had no idea about your connection to signing. That's pretty awesome all in all! (And I'm glad cochlear was a success for your son.) I hope you have a good week, too.
It’s always such a pleasure to have my morning coffee with you.
Last year for ICAD, I did hands. It was a lot of hands.
I’m definitely off-roading and lost in the woods this week as I prepare to give a demonstration on Wednesday. I’ve never done this before so I’m dreading it. Can’t wait to get to Thursday!
Have a wonderful week and thanks for all you do!
Thank you so much for sharing coffee time and for commenting, Julia! What is the demonstration on? I hope it goes well -- I am sure you will be fantastic! Deep breaths. Have fun with it!
I'm new to your substack. And I just want you to know that already I am appreciating how much effort and thought and care you put into your writing.
I am a long time avid journaler. And have been spending a lot of time drawing and painting in the last year. In the same time (the last year), I have dabbled with putting the two together, so I appreciate all of you are pointers and prompts. I really enjoyed today's email because so much of it resonated.
I love the idea of looking at the same thing in different light. I think it's a great way to dive deeper into the way in which light and shadow impact what we see in our world. And I'm inspired to find a view to look at daily. And I'm sure by doing that I will recognize patterns and changes in light and color.
I'm fascinated by languages and signing has had a role in my life with my stepfather who passed years and years ago who was deaf. And my mother spent many years teaching yoga to deaf children at the Maryland school for deaf. So I was exposed to signing for many many years. I also remember being very interested in Braille and Helen Keller and spent time in high school volunteering at a non-profit supporting the blind. Ultimately, my love for communication in a different ways in which people communicate took me into learning different languages, specifically Russian. I don't use it anymore, but I have a deep appreciation for different methods of communication visually and linguistically. I've been doing a lot of continuous line drawing, drawing my hands, and using different pens to draw things and people in my life.
This week I'm taking my two oldest boys who are 13 and 16, they just turn those ages last week, to New York City. I haven't traveled in a while and I'm excited to bring my sketchbook along.
Thank you again for all of your effort in sharing what's in your heart and on your mind. I'm inspired by it to be more vulnerable in my own journal writing which I do in the morning everyday.
Emily - thank you so much for reading and for commenting. I am always happy to meet people who love to write and draw and who are interested in that intersection on the page. To help fuel that process, Illustrate Your Week provides simple prompts to mix into other recording, but there are, of course, so many ways to keep an illustrated journal..... and lots of them are daily. I hope you and your sons have a wonderful visit to NYC - and that you do find time to draw. (Take lots of photos, of course, too. They are great for drawing later.) --- I'm fascinated that you have such a varied history with signing (and with Braille). If you are an Instagram person, I hope we are connected so I can see your work.
Thank you! Yes I follow you on IG. I'm @emma_mm_art and we follow each other as of this last week!
Yes we are! Got it! And now I’ve matched you here and there. Thank you for that.
I look forward to your Sunday post every week!
There is a new Star Trek series out called “Strange New Worlds.” Season one is out and I am impatiently waiting for season two.
I have always wanted to learn ASL. My younger son is primarily non-speaking, and I have always thought it would be great gif us to be able to communicate that way. I still might start learning.
I credit #illustrateyourweek with keeping me creating on a daily basis.
I am perplexed by how to handle social media as well. I love seeing everyone’s art, and I do dream of being “discovered.” But my primary goal is to create or find community. Between the kids and the fact that I don’t fit in where I live, I haven’t managed to make any social connections. Although I am pretty much a hermit, I still manage to get lonely, and my online communities are what keeps me going.
I am happy to know that the illustrated journal is keeping you creating - but I've seen how much you do! I'm glad though. Art can really be a balancing factor. That's always been true for me. I made a note of the Star Trek series - I haven't seen it. I definitely think it sounds like signing would be so helpful for all of you. When I was trying to track down something related to this over the weekend, I watched a number of videos. There are so many good ones now..... I even thought, once again, how much I would love to do it. As for community.... it can be hard. And virtual spaces and groups can be really important. I'm so sorry to know that you don't feel you fit in where you live. Being lonely is absolutely a real thing. I'm glad at least we get to draw now and then together. In some small way, I hope it helps.
Curious to hear more about some of the things you were thinking about writing- especially reasons for illustrated journaling and your “audacious” book thoughts.
Thank you for answering that - and for reading.
Good morning!
I like to interact so wanted to share my experience of journaling yesterday with you 😁.
I included the Spock sign in my journal yesterday after reading your post... I love drawing my hands and this was a great opportunity... But decided to do an icon version of the sign since my little journal didn't have a lot of space. But before I did, I looked up the story behind it. Purportedly Leonard Nemoy who spent his religious upbringing in a Boston synagogue saw congregants using this symbol on a Friday night Shabbat service. (https://www.startrek.com/article/the-jewish-ritual-that-led-nimoy-to-create-the-vulcan-salute). Really neat story. I converted to Judaism 17 years ago... but don't practice anymore (another story)... And I remember Friday night services to be the most special. I never saw that hand signal but I don't doubt the story. Because I like to dig for more info on things that pique my interest, I looked it up further. It is indeed a beautiful hand gesture used in many Orthodox Jewish congregations - a blessing given to congregants. Picture here... https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2878949/jewish/Is-the-Vulcan-Salute-a-Jewish-Symbol.htm
Also just wanted to thank you for making me aware of National Semicolon Day. I read about that too yesterday and alongside the Spock sign and the quote that I had chosen independently from all of the above, they meshed nicely together.
I really enjoyed making my journal art yesterday. It was part of the reason that I ended the day full and happy.
Thank you for the follow-up! I tend to look things up like this, but this isn't one I looked up, so I really appreciate you sharing this background information and the resources! (I saw your post at Instagram and haven't gotten there to comment yet -- but you were BUSY!) I'm really glad that you took a look at National Semicolon Day, too. I'm glad you had a good art day -- ending full and happy sounds pretty awesome. (By the way - we sometimes draw on Sunday mornings. If that is something you might be interested in, email me so that I have your address, and I can let you know the details. People work on all kinds of art -- not everyone works on illustrated journal pages, but some do.)
I would love to draw with you and others on Sunday. I'll send you my info. The FB group looks very welcoming. I look forward to participating!
New here and I’m already loving your writings/prompts/everything!
This week I’m enjoying having this big surge of creative energy and being able to actually sit down and practice.
Thank you for reading! Yay for the surge of creative energy! I hope you have enjoyed some good creative time this week!