Hello, friends!
I find my biggest inspiration in connecting and giving to others, a truth I’ve rediscovered boldly this month. As a studio artist, I love the freedom of creating my own work, setting my own schedule, and building my brand. Often, though, and most especially lately, I really miss the buzz of creating in community —the magic of sharing ideas and deeply connecting with other creatively curious people.
In a world that often feels chaotic and splintered, I’m excited to connect with you here. This newsletter, Studio Files, will be a space for us to share inspiration, ideas, and conversations—an open invitation for you to join in!
In our first edition of Studio Files, I wanted to give a bit more of a glimpse into our WHY.
Why Studio Files? Equal parts creative + research nerd. If you cracked open my creative practice, that’s what you’d find. In any studio of mine, you’ll often find loads and loads of magazine tears, books dogeared and underlined, photographs, postcards, ephemera collected. I rarely meet a random rabbit hole that I don’t dive into - always curious to learn more, go deeper. These banks and banks of inspiration inform my creative practice, my work, my passions. And I love nothing more than sharing what I’m learning with those around me.
Why Substack? I love me a good visual platform. Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube and Pinterest - I can easily lose track of time tumbling from image to video again and again. For Studio Files, I was craving MORE CONNECTION. A deeper and more intimate interaction, something beyond passive scrolling, “likes” and curated perfection, and I’m hopeful that’s what we’ll build here.
As humans, we were built to be in community - and I can’t wait to build a space for ours here. I see my role as the host, you as my beloved guests, and Substack as our long, long table where we’ll share, learn, grow. Together. Substack, with its space for comments, notes and messages and sharing seems to be the right platform for that.
Why now? Those of you who’ve followed me for awhile know that writing has always been a passion of mine. From early days of my first Wordpress blog, to my guest writing days at Wit & Delight, Mother Untitled or Brit and Co., to more recently at my wallpaper studio - writing brings me great joy.
Recent events and life changes (a move, a painting retreat with other artists, the state of our world) has inspired me to find new ways to use my voice. My gifts are in creating + curating beauty and information, and in sharing that with others.
Kindness, creativity, art and connection are salves that can be used to soothe and heal and I’m here to do my part.
I’m dreaming of this being a space where we can share creative pursuits and ideas, highlight voices and people doing great work in design and life, and help educate each other about how to advocate for and love on the people around us. You know, our most important work of being human.
Connect. Be kind. Love each other. A lofty goal, yes, but I believe in US.
Here’s what you can expect in Studio Files:
Inspiring spaces, people, and ideas that spark creativity
Our favorite tips, products and tools for living your best creative life
Reads and resources for sparking kindness and building community
We’ll be back in your inbox next week with our first edition of Studio Files, sharing some calming practices we’re loving in this season of chaos, where we’re finding inspiration these days and some seasonal spaces we’re oohing over.
Thank you for being here, for being YOU and for being curious. I can’t wait to share and connect with you!
xx,
Jill
ps. You may have previously signed up to receive emails from Color Kind Studio - and that’s still me, just from a new platform. I’m so glad you’re here, but if you’d rather not get our mail, hit the unsubscribe button below, no hard feelings!
Can't wait to connect with this inspiring community!!
Welcome to Substack, Jill!