Irish
Who knows what truth is behind Ireland’s lack of snakes or St. Patrick, but I’ve always been curious about my Irish heritage, and the pre-Christian (Catholic, of course) roots. So, I did some photographic style prompts in Midjourney today involving pagan snakes, Irish lasses, and lots of clover 🍀
Enchanted AI Art
I’m excited to announce that the Visionary AI Art Learning Collective is LIVE!
Wait, the what what?
Okay. So I met these two fabulous women who were as excited about using AI to create as I have been, and we talked, and IDEAS! They had launched Magical Stock Art, and had been getting requests from people who wanted to learn how to make art this way themselves. …So I’ve been teaching AI for Fine Artists and AI for Creative Expression, and we’ve been testing and figuring things out. It’s been awesome to see people get inspired by the process of creating with AI art tools!
There is also a LOT of hate towards AI art tools being used right now. So let me dispatch it - with the many, many, many conversations I’ve been having, it comes down to fear, misinformation, and systemic issues.
As women, we are legendary at transforming fear into love through creativity and community.
THIS IS THE VIBE!
After I did a residency with a big community component in September, I knew I wanted to teach people how to use AI art tools, and I was already doing it as part of explaining how the heck I make my art. I believe I can make this a little less scary for people! - I genuinely LOVE people, and my enthusiasm for what others are creating is deep and authentic. I also think it’s important for womxn to pick up these tools and show up in this space because it’s crucial that we influence it!
So, I’m leading the Visionary AI Art Learning Membership! And you can join me there!
“I love you, and I’m sorry”
OKAY. A lot has changed since my last post! It’s been a whirlwind and today is the first sort of day to myself, to just focus on my stuff, and I almost don’t know where to even start.
THE CHANGES - Vaccinations! Moved to GA! Quit my day job!
Whoa, right? That’s a lot in 3 months. Which is why my husband just kept repeating the phrase, “ I love you, and I’m sorry”, ha ha. The plans all started when he decided to “put out feelers” to see if there were any better options for him in another job. WELL - the response was immediate, and everything went really fast, and here we are!
My last day at my day job was Friday! So today is the first official day of work, just for myself!
Crossing off secret item #3!
I got to cross off one of my secret items on my 21 for 2021 list!
What was it?
We expanded our family!
Juliet, a two year old terrier mix is now a Palmer! It was one of those things that I just didn’t want to share until it all came through, and I’m so excited to share the news! You can check out my other post to see what else is on my 21 for 2021 list, and let me know in the comments what kind of dog you think Juliet looks like!
21 for 2021
As if I needed another thing to want to do - I just discovered this: https://thepeoplesinauguration.org Which is rad, and of course it sounds like something I would totally love to facilitate within a women’s group. So maybe I will? I have a day-ish.
In the spirit of doing a ridiculous number of things - I couldn’t quite fit my 21 things for 2021 into one list, so I made two lists!
I’m going to borrow a page from a dear friend’s book and be a bit of a tease about this - I’m not sharing a few of my items this year until they’re crossed off!
First up - here’s my personal 2021 goal list of 21 things:
1) Get Vaccinated (I’m on the list!)
2) TOP SECRET INFO
3) ALSO NOT TELLING YET
4) walk more
5) write more (Started going through The Artist’s Way with my friend Jess = morning pages with accountability!)
6) organize my addresses
7) buy more art with my husband
8) get a great quality long necklace chain
9) learn about shipping options (this could go on my other list, but it didn’t)
10) use curable (bought it for the year, have done some meditation and writing exercises so far)
11) unsubscribe (I get too many emails, and it overwhelms me)
12) take my vitamins
13) stay hydrated (found DripDrop - tried it, it helps, and I ordered more!)
14) Protein (I’m supposed to eat as much protein as a young male athlete - and have it every 2-3 hours - it’s difficult to remember to get this into my body)
15) EMDR (continue weekly sessions)
16) Check up - check in with Dr. about Fibro-status/treatment/support (had my appt. last week. Update in 6 mos)
17) Get Eye Exam (figure out if Dr. is seeing people yet? RE: COVID)
18) Get new glasses!
19) Dance more - I’m so missing all the time with my family and our spontaneous dance parties.
20) have more mom/sister/friend/family dates
21) Plan something fun for our 40ths! (yes, the hubs and I both turn 40 this year - GASP!)
Artist 21 for 2021:
1) Write about my art
2) Update statements
3) Send a newsletter every month
4) Grow my email list (See Above!)
5) make a 2021 + beyond vision board (a physical one to put up where I can see it every day - it’s currently digital)
6) make a visual resonance vision board (a physical one to put up… it’s currently digital)
7) Do a digital portrait series (I have my first few people in mind, and have these divided up to do 1/month)
8) Learn more about using Adobe Fresco on my iPad
9) Learn more about using Adobe Illustrator on my iPad
10) Learn more about using Procreate on my iPad
11) Make stickers (sigils)
12) Make photographs
13) Explore digital collage
14) Use Pinterest to promote my art and interact
15) Get artist photos done (headshots and styled)
16) Participate in THRIVE
17) Participate in YAH Women In Art
18) Update my VIDA shop at least quarterly with new designs
19) Do projects with materials from Oh, Scrap!
20) Meet most of my quarterly goals
21) Collaborate
My word of the year this year is Resilient - and in that spirit, I’m choosing these things as part of my growth and flexibility. It’s been insightful to note my lists over the past few years, and my word/phrase of the year. I can see how I’ve progressed and how things have grown and changed. I often think about the practice of gratitude and our culture that teaches us to desire so much. There’s a quote somewhere about remembering, what you have today is what you wished for in the past. I find it worth remembering that, reflecting on what those things were, and remembering all that you have and have done… I’m driving again. I found community. I’ve dedicated myself to doing the work of healing. …I love goal setting when it’s from the heart and for the highest good. I love when my friends and family share their goals with me so I know how I can support them. I enjoy when we are vulnerable enough to share our dreams with each other, and support each other in achieving them, even the silly ones - especially the silly ones.
If you want to join me this year, I’d love to hear your goals!
Punk is forever.
Recent research has shown that the music you listen to as a teen and young adult will shape you - forever. Think about what you were listening to then. How do you think it affected you? I certainly know not all of us were listening to songs about unity, freeing political prisoners, and human rights in general. Since I grew up in pre-internet times in rural PA, I didn’t have a lot of access to anything beyond. I was hungry for art and music and community. One of the main things my friends and I connected over was music - we cherished our traded mixtapes, CDs, and eventually digital playlists. We went to shows, to gather, to meet other people who felt like us, to feel accepted. Pittsburgh has its own breed of punk rock, too. It’s deeply planted in our local history as part of the rust belt and worker’s rights. I think about the determination of a bunch of kids, to get to a freezing cold fire hall in the middle of a snowstorm in Johnstown (before we even had GPS), just to sing along to a few of our favorite songs, and how that determination has shown itself in the years since - to challenge the systems, to refuse to accept the damages of our society, to talk to each other, to organize, to act.
This year has been especially challenging. I reflect on who we are, as individuals of this community, and how we’re doing in 2020. We are making art and music. We are spreading knowledge and supporting each other. We are raising money for others. We are feeding others. We are making masks and donating them to people who need them. We are setting up testing stations. We are marching in the streets. We are speaking out, making calls, organizing to educate voters. We are trying to keep our families and workplaces safe. We are demanding better wages. We are calling for justice. For healthcare. For education, For freedom from debt and capitalism. We are (virtually) holding each other’s hands, reminding each other to rest.
I have known that this group of people is bright and passionate, but this year, the way everyone has responded, makes me love them all the more.
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