Greetings from Over Here...

Hello dear friends! I know it’s been awhile since some of us have spoken due to my social media exodus of 2023.

Maybe that seems a dramatic term, and I certainly would have thought so, but it's been surprising the way people ask me "how is life with no social media???" with the same kind of intensity as though I had suddenly packed my things to move to some remote village on Earth. This, despite mentioning numerous ways to still reach me (even electronically!): text, e-mail, signal, snail mail, etc.

So, it seemed fitting to name and format this newsletter as though I am sending you some kitsch postcard from my strange travels abroad.

For this first one I’ll just share/write up an FAQ of why I left social media for a year.

Why Quit Social Media/ What inspired me to leave?

The bulk of my feelings can be summarised over in this link which I read some months back. It neatly summed up a lot of what had been floating around in my head for awhile. Coupled with this related link (listed in the post above) which lays out what the instagram algorithm demands of you in order to boost you, and how instagram not only prioritizes you based on how much you post, but also how much time you spend on the app overall, it felt like something had snapped in me. This was the final straw.

But mainly, I was fucking tired. I felt pressured to pump out content and yet feeling like it was never enough. I was dismayed how much my feelings about my work was swayed by the amount of interaction it got. I would post a piece I’d worked really hard on and felt like I had improved my craft, only for it to not get many likes (usually original concepts, etc). But then the work that DID receive attention was usually video game fanart, and that made me think do I really just want to make fanart all the time? (no hate to fanart— it’s fun but I want to make original work too).

Social media took everything from me, and gave little in return, and it led to two massive mental breakdowns in which I questioned whether I had any talent or if I was delusional and everyone was scared to tell me so. Honestly, I’m still unpacking those feelings, only now I don’t have some strange algorithmic meter “proving” my point.

How’s it been so far?

The first question I inevitably get is how’s it going??? Largely, it’s been great. It’s not as though it solved all my problems because a lot of inner turmoil exists within me, but without the buzz of social media I’ve found that I’m more able to hold space for my feelings; That I spend more time feeling my feelings as every therapist would like to tout.

I really could go on, so let’s bullet point this

• I’ve done more studies—things that insta would’ve hated, but that have fulfilled me.

  • small oil paint studies

  • regular figure drawing

  • art classes online

• created without the fear of it being "good". I can share as little or as much as I want. This has also been great for the less instagram-worthy parts of comics (scripting, thumbnailing). AKA enjoying the process more. Got into oil pastels too.

• Done more sketchbook drawing

• I've read more. Despite deciding not to formally make a reading goal for this year, I'm still logging it on StoryGraph, and thus far I have read 12 books this year (2 of those being comics, to be fair)

• More importantly, I’ve checked in with myself more. Felt my feelings more. Sat in my discomfort. I’ve had periods of being utterly bored, and just sat with that (and found—and read—that indeed it’s vital for the creative process to have these moments).

Just gimme the art!

Alright, alright, alright. Here’s a smattering of drawings, paintings, etc that I’ve been working on.

Recommendations Corner

In which I consumed some cool things, and you should too!

Something I watched: Crimes of the Future

Cronenberg does it again with this great little film about art, art critics, and a bit of transhumanism.

Something I read: Stolen Focus

It’s a little pop-sciency but it feels fitting given my Social Media break. I don’t know how much can really be backed up by science in this, but it rings true/I’m enjoying the ~~vibes. It’s real iffy on digging into neurodivergence (hello fellow autism burnout folx), but just take what resonates, throw out the rest.

Something I listened to: If Books Could Kill

A fun, banter-y podcast that breaks down the pseudo-science of many a popular pop science book. The hosts are exceptionally funny, and it honestly feels like if me and one of my good friends started a podcast riffing on bad books. The episodes on Freakonomics and Malcolm Gladwell are particularly funny.

Wrap-up

There’s so much more I wanted to talk about, and more art I wanted to share, but I fear this will already be exceptionally long (and I should allow myself to save things and build a catalogue). I’m keeping this format free, but will be looking to have a loose theme that ties each issue going forward.

That’s all for now folks! Wish you were here, and be in touch again soon!