Studio Dispatch IV 6.6.26

show closing today (lol), classes/workshops, project soft launch

I feel like there’s always so much for me to begin these newsletters with. I try to make it feel like catching up with a friend, except I’m sending this out to strangers who may or may not choose to open this among the many other emails they receive. I probably opened my last newsletter like this. I am a little incapable of an orderly newsletter and may be a bit too earnest for my own good. May showed me that. A lot of personal things went down in May, some that even I, a professional oversharer, feel like I need to sit with for a bit. Sometimes things happen that are such a blow to the nervous system or psyche, I wonder about the outlet to which I’ll channel to process. I am not one to make art about my personal struggles so outwardly and obviously, because I try to not be too autobiographical. Sometimes I’ll hide things in pieces just to show I’m one small part of a whole, and how collective experiences can be. But also, some things (let’s be real, some people) already hold so much power over me that I have to make them small by turning them into a faceless metonym. A vessel for my personal encounter with something we all experience. Nothing more than that. Many vessels were delivered to me in May. I was mishandled as if the warning label were the care label, but it didn’t make a difference, and the consequences wouldn’t be character-building because I wasn’t something to invest in anyway.

That was my May.

Aside from that being my inner world, violence and terror are happening all around us. Still. I encourage everyone to support those on hunger and labor strike/protesting at Delaney Hall, a prison holding human lives hostage, in the ways you can and contact me if you would like to know more about protecting our neighbors. Furthermore, if you, yourself, have things to plug/mutual aid asks, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. An image burned into my brain is the detainees under a frosted glass. You can’t even make out the silhouette enough to even try to picture their features. What you could see was them waving, blowing kisses, and flickering lights to say “We’re here and we’re fighting.” I cannot imagine living your life without wanting to dedicate good time to make sure no one has to be confined to a place like that. I’ve been thinking about how autonomy ties into dreaming and wonder. When you, a loved one, a friend, a neighbor, or anyone is trapped in a mental and/or physical cage, the things you hope for are, first, prerequisites. Everything else takes such strength and steadfastness to develop. We deserve imaginations that expand our comprehensions. I remember writing a poem that something about not wasting our laboring hands on prayers for basic needs. People deserve to pray for more magical things than freedom. Freedom is a basic need.

“Shadows of bound prayers hands transformed into wings (fly towards the light).” I wanted to make a piece with themes around abolition and faith. Just plugging that here.

Anyway, that’s my little stream of consciousness I like to begin my newsletters with. Yeah, I never really plan what I’m going to say and do very little editing. OMG ALSO, major success at the Black Zine Fair!!! I just typed so much I can’t even keep typing lol, but please know if you’re new and came from there, I love you, and that continues to be the best day of the year.

Announcements

The show, “Pilot Light”, was an honor to be a part of, and I am sure people are tired of hearing me, but in case you’re not…this is a good segue to announcements.

“Pilot Light” Closing (6/6 - 10-6 with walkthroughs from 4-6)

Yes, I am sending this the day of. It was a rough month, okay. You can view the link to the show here. More info is on my or PPOW’s Instagram.

Classes/Workshops

I have several workshops coming up involving 201 (intermediate/advanced cyanotypes) and 101 (one-day beginner cyanotype workshops). Feel free to ask me questions. I believe a second 201 session will be released for July soon.

See all the dates/read class descriptions here.

Just so you know:

201 = 3 weeks, intermediate/advanced

101 = 1 day only, multiple dates offered, every other Saturday

Letter of Blue Publication

I’m soft-launching a project that I am hoping will become something bigger than it is in my head. Inspired by the color blue, which you can read some of my reflections on in my previous newsletter. I want to start publishing a “Blue” zine/publication featuring simply stories of blue. Think of the book Bluets. I want to know the role the color blue has played in your life. Big or small. A pair of jeans, color of someone’s eyes that wronged you, your favorite pencil, branding on the sunscreen you used as a child, your first favorite painting.

Whatever blue it may be. You can get ahead and email me at lettersofblue@praise-fuller.com

I want to say that’s it. I have a busy summer ahead and mostly took the month of May off from the studio. I did some experiments here and there, but overall the overwhelm and shock of the reception from the show, as well as other things happening in the community, took over.

I am so grateful to everyone that gives me a place here.

I have many more personal projects to share soon, or maybe just keep secret a little longer.

xoxo

Praise

PS: This was written rather quickly between chores and already a week late, so…ignore typos lol