I am in the final stretch of my masters degree (library and info science: archives) and the most fascinating / compelling rare materials are sketches, and journals. Perhaps not everything is always meant to be seen but as you mention, there is something very sacred about our processes.
At the library I manage, we started an artist meetup. It’s fascinating to me how many people use analog processes and don’t even share it at all. One of the attendees brought in her [stunning] art journal and we were all blown away.
The amount of inspiration I have felt, inwardly speaking, just from getting together with people on occasion, reminds me how beautiful each person’s individual practice is, when viewed by another, no matter how imperfect.
Picasso sketches are my favorite part of his work. To see someone’s process is beyond motivational. I think, maybe, something I fangirl about as much as the finished product. The passion.
So with that, along with your beautiful points, I think we also share because we’re just really passionate and excited and because we know we love to see what others are doing.
I have been in a season of not sharing much (online) and not knowing which parts to share. Perhaps the analog trend is performative *online* but so many people have never stopped. Which is comforting to know. 🕯️✨🦋
Thank you for writing such an extensive overview on a topic that is felt by many but talked so little about. I throughly enjoyed your info graphics. As artists, the sweet spot of creation is to fall into a flow state. Documenting the process has always been a challenge for me, as it not only breaks this flow but redirects me to then overthink how I am capturing my process. I can never hold these two things at once. I agree that reflecting on a piece after you have completed it has been a healthy boundary that I have tried to start implementing. Journaling recently has helped me tremendously in my current artistic endeavors as well. Cheers to more boundaries and to reconnecting with art as an act of self-fulfillment!
So agree that documentation breaks flow! But I also don't regret having documented most of the time... it's a funny tension. I'm glad to hear journaling has helped you lots and I also love its form for a healthy version of reflection with distance, without interrupting the flow!
I particularly loved this essay. Perfectly describes the tension between value of sharing and connecting vs. oversharing and ending up being disconnected with the things that originally brought joy.
This piece came at a time when I was questioning whether or not I’ve been posting on Notes “enough,” and it reoriented me to make sure I respect my inner compass and continue sharing authentically when it feels right (instead of depending on a certain cadence). Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
This is incredibly well said. There was a time where I experimented with timelapses of me painting, but I started feeling so self conscious, I eventually quit. It felt like having an audience over my shoulder and took all the fun out.
It takes constant vigilance for me to find a good balance of sharing and keeping things for myself. Most of that vigilance is making sure I’m not making things only for sharing. It needs to be something I wanted to make even if no one was looking.
I also feel very self-conscious with timelapses! I find it better to record only bits and pieces, but then I have to remember to stop and start recording..
Constant vigilance is an apt way of putting it. I think it's a healthy practice though, to make sure we're always acting with intention.
this was a great read! I’m always asking myself — what are my intentions in sharing this?
Sometimes I lose myself in the performance of it all, especially at the beginning of posting online, but I usually come back to IRL first, URL later (if at all).
I love seeing others processes as well as their finished product, so I try to share mine as well too :)
I’ve been having conversations about this concept with friends! I love how you’ve summarized, added to, and articulated the feelings that are clearly in the zeitgeist right now.
It's interesting to hear about other ppl's process. Like for me I love taking photos while I'm making but that's bc I love photography as an art form in of itself. There was a time when taking photos or videos was more about the art form and didn't mean that you were going to share it anywhere so that's an interesting overlap.
Excellent post! I agree with your points, and appreciated you sharing how you develop your own boundaries. You touched on many of the reasons that I don’t participate so much on social media right now (but the intermittent temptation to ramp it up is still there).
The analog trend is definitely one that gives me all sorts of feelings. On the one hand, I'm all for it and write about it myself. I think we should all disconnect from our online lives as much as possible. But on the other hand, I do share my journey with it online as well. Because of course, where else would I share it and how else would I find like minded people. It's such a strange duality and one that I definitely haven't fully mastered myself.
I really resonate with this essay - it is so well written! I've barely shared my practice on the internet at all this year, which was initially confusing, but now I see that I craved "cathedral mode" and wanted to be more intentional (and quiet!) with public sharing. Also thank you so much for sharing your digital garden! I'd heard of the term before but this was the first time I took a look at one. Feeling excited about that as a system for gathering thoughts and research ♡
Thank you so much Emily! I'm happy to see you embracing "cathedral mode" after doing lots of art markets and public efforts (from what I recall!) I'll be writing more about the digital garden soon so glad you're excited about that :)
I am in the final stretch of my masters degree (library and info science: archives) and the most fascinating / compelling rare materials are sketches, and journals. Perhaps not everything is always meant to be seen but as you mention, there is something very sacred about our processes.
At the library I manage, we started an artist meetup. It’s fascinating to me how many people use analog processes and don’t even share it at all. One of the attendees brought in her [stunning] art journal and we were all blown away.
The amount of inspiration I have felt, inwardly speaking, just from getting together with people on occasion, reminds me how beautiful each person’s individual practice is, when viewed by another, no matter how imperfect.
Picasso sketches are my favorite part of his work. To see someone’s process is beyond motivational. I think, maybe, something I fangirl about as much as the finished product. The passion.
So with that, along with your beautiful points, I think we also share because we’re just really passionate and excited and because we know we love to see what others are doing.
I have been in a season of not sharing much (online) and not knowing which parts to share. Perhaps the analog trend is performative *online* but so many people have never stopped. Which is comforting to know. 🕯️✨🦋
This is such a well thought out piece from a wealth of your lived experience - I loved reading it and really resonate! ♡ ♡ ♡
Touched to hear it Kristen 💛 thank you for reading!!
Thank you for writing such an extensive overview on a topic that is felt by many but talked so little about. I throughly enjoyed your info graphics. As artists, the sweet spot of creation is to fall into a flow state. Documenting the process has always been a challenge for me, as it not only breaks this flow but redirects me to then overthink how I am capturing my process. I can never hold these two things at once. I agree that reflecting on a piece after you have completed it has been a healthy boundary that I have tried to start implementing. Journaling recently has helped me tremendously in my current artistic endeavors as well. Cheers to more boundaries and to reconnecting with art as an act of self-fulfillment!
So agree that documentation breaks flow! But I also don't regret having documented most of the time... it's a funny tension. I'm glad to hear journaling has helped you lots and I also love its form for a healthy version of reflection with distance, without interrupting the flow!
I particularly loved this essay. Perfectly describes the tension between value of sharing and connecting vs. oversharing and ending up being disconnected with the things that originally brought joy.
TYSM Amanda! Questions like this must come up with YT communities too :)
Hahaha 💯
This piece came at a time when I was questioning whether or not I’ve been posting on Notes “enough,” and it reoriented me to make sure I respect my inner compass and continue sharing authentically when it feels right (instead of depending on a certain cadence). Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Notes is never required!! I'm glad this piece could help your internal compass tune in the right direction :)
This is incredibly well said. There was a time where I experimented with timelapses of me painting, but I started feeling so self conscious, I eventually quit. It felt like having an audience over my shoulder and took all the fun out.
It takes constant vigilance for me to find a good balance of sharing and keeping things for myself. Most of that vigilance is making sure I’m not making things only for sharing. It needs to be something I wanted to make even if no one was looking.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I also feel very self-conscious with timelapses! I find it better to record only bits and pieces, but then I have to remember to stop and start recording..
Constant vigilance is an apt way of putting it. I think it's a healthy practice though, to make sure we're always acting with intention.
I think your iceberg is going to save my fiction author sanity... or at least what is left of it. Thank you!
hang onto that sanity for dear life! you got this :)
this was a great read! I’m always asking myself — what are my intentions in sharing this?
Sometimes I lose myself in the performance of it all, especially at the beginning of posting online, but I usually come back to IRL first, URL later (if at all).
I love seeing others processes as well as their finished product, so I try to share mine as well too :)
Great post!
Hi Carolyn! I really enjoyed reading your take on the act of sharing the creative process, it's something I think about a lot all the time. x
I’ve been having conversations about this concept with friends! I love how you’ve summarized, added to, and articulated the feelings that are clearly in the zeitgeist right now.
Hey Carolyn— Thank you for this! Been thinking about a lot of these issues this year and you’ve made it all
make more sense than it did in my head.
I'm so glad Sharon! Missing you and the Milkwood magic <3
It's interesting to hear about other ppl's process. Like for me I love taking photos while I'm making but that's bc I love photography as an art form in of itself. There was a time when taking photos or videos was more about the art form and didn't mean that you were going to share it anywhere so that's an interesting overlap.
Loved this post, Carolyn. Thanks for sharing your insights about the cathedral and the digital garden. And your sketches are so good!
Excellent post! I agree with your points, and appreciated you sharing how you develop your own boundaries. You touched on many of the reasons that I don’t participate so much on social media right now (but the intermittent temptation to ramp it up is still there).
The analog trend is definitely one that gives me all sorts of feelings. On the one hand, I'm all for it and write about it myself. I think we should all disconnect from our online lives as much as possible. But on the other hand, I do share my journey with it online as well. Because of course, where else would I share it and how else would I find like minded people. It's such a strange duality and one that I definitely haven't fully mastered myself.
It is a strange duality! I think the answer is in the "secret third thing", somewhere in between.
the answer is always in finding the balance :-)
I really resonate with this essay - it is so well written! I've barely shared my practice on the internet at all this year, which was initially confusing, but now I see that I craved "cathedral mode" and wanted to be more intentional (and quiet!) with public sharing. Also thank you so much for sharing your digital garden! I'd heard of the term before but this was the first time I took a look at one. Feeling excited about that as a system for gathering thoughts and research ♡
Thank you so much Emily! I'm happy to see you embracing "cathedral mode" after doing lots of art markets and public efforts (from what I recall!) I'll be writing more about the digital garden soon so glad you're excited about that :)
Can’t wait to read that and learn more about it!