013
an overdue studio dispatch
I have had my head clouded with mostly hard and bad thoughts over the last few months and it’s been difficult to find motivation to sit down and write a newsletter.
After the election, I knew things would change for the worse, but I think some will agree with me in that I didn't realize they would get so bad so quickly. The current administration has severely impacted what is happening at my work (jobby job), which has been a huge source of uncertainty and stress in my life, peaking at the start of summer. The Distillery Residency ended in June and I moved back into my original studio on North Negley. My 32nd birthday came and went, bringing moments of joy shortly before the sudden, unexpected death of Romeo, the pitbull that Sam and I adopted in March 2021 and the very first dog I’ve ever had. As my second big experience with grief and loss, I kind of knew what to expect, but that hasn’t made things necessarily any easier. My list of applications I’d like to work on but haven’t continues to grow, deadlines passing. I shove down my small tinges of guilt by telling myself I need a break (which is not completely untrue).
Amidst the turmoil, I have been making portraits of friends and throwing myself into my newest endeavor - sewing. So far, I’ve made an abstract quilted piece from scrap fabric, two envelope pillowcases, and an apron. The hope is that once I gain more skill and confidence, I can start making my own patterns and incorporating more textile work into my practice.
Below are some of my favorite shots from the last few months:
And I’m including a some shots of our Distillery show, On the Edge Of, which was open from April 17-June 7, 2025. Thank you to my fellow resident artists and everyone who visited, purchased work, a zine, attended our artist panel, etc. Photo credits: Adam Michaels for the reception photos and Chris Uhren for the install shots.
What I’m Looking At
I recently started Is a River Alive? by Robert MacFarlane and it’s been a really captivating read so far. Admittedly, I don’t read much nonfiction and it’s not a genre that I gravitate towards, but MacFarlane’s writing style is narrative enough keep my attention.
And so my mind has been on water lately (pool season!) and the natural world in general. As the weather cools and we transition into Western PA’s brief but beautiful autumn season, I am itching to take hikes and make images of nature as opposed to turning the camera on myself or other human subjects. I have been thinking a lot about the photographs I made in Telluride in June 2022, when Michelle and I made our pilgrimage to where Pat had spent his last years.
Originally, I’d wanted to include these photos in my zine about Pat and I had started making a mock-up with them back in 2022 before realizing I wasn’t emotionally ready to take on that project. The zine and the images I ended up using took a very different direction, but it feels nice to revisit these ones after having some time and separation from them.
What I’m Listening To
My favorite album of 2025 so far has been Maria Somerville’s Luster. I think I described it once as “Cocteau Twins if they were legible,” but that also doesn’t feel like a fair comparison.
Also, I finally made the leap from Spotify to Tidal, but Substack doesn’t seem to let me embed Tidal links. You can listen to Luster on Apple Music and Tidal if you’d prefer.
I’ve also been enjoying the new Water From Your Eyes album, It’s a Beautiful Place (Apple Music | Tidal):
And finally, I’m highly anticipating Wednesday’s new album Bleeds, releasing later this month. Favorite track of mine that they’ve released is below (Apple Music | Tidal):
xx More soon
Always always thank you for reading and supporting.
If you’d like to and have the means, upgrading to a paid subscription is a tangible way to help support my work. Sharing also helps :). Come take a hike with me soon.
Loving all the portraits <3 hearts out to Romeo, forever.