This is my check-in...I am not fine. I feel for you, and all of the self-supporting artists out here--these are wild, wild days. While I don't make my living from art anymore, I am a teacher within the Department of Education, so there's that. I'm your kindred spirit in the area of anxiety and riding out the unknowns.
Some people are adept at compartmentalizing their lives or even their thought lives. I am not one of these people. Everything touches everything, like on a plate where the food touches and the gravy is spread all over. And I am having a difficult time getting through each day. My focus is scattered. Some of my relationships, in question--do I learn to navigate our differences, hoping to add some light to their darkness, or do I just let them go? It's all too much. Which is to say, that I am not myself these days.
Thank you for your writing and your art. The world needs you, dear friend, dear light. I love you.
O dear Jan, thank you for authentically showing up here and sharing how you're doing. you have shared so much of what we're experiencing as humans and how difficult it is to navigate through it. It feels too big and too heavy and too hopeless to find our way through. The only thing I know for sure is that we can't manage it alone. I'm here with you, even in this virtual space. Thank you for being here. What would I do without friends like you?
I also am considering leaving Facebook and Instagram. I don’t want to be subjected to unwanted political information and untruths.
I am somewhat lucky. I am at a point in my life where I no longer have to make a living from my work. It frees me up. Yet I still feel a deep ungrounding by the soon-to-be political environment. Lately, I notice I have a deep-rooted loss of trust in another. Always wondering if they will suddenly surprise me as a political vigilante or an oppressor.
Being under such constant, mental distress from it makes it very hard for me to be inspired to work or to even continue with previous work that seemed important to me. The news has been switched off in our home since the election, except for a few daily highlights here and there. That in itself is such a relief, but I am still constantly looking for a safe spot from it all.
As far as the arts are concerned, I think they will suffer with the upcoming political agenda. Funding will probably be deleted. Activists in the arts might be monitored, or maybe even all of us. It’s possible museums, galleries, etc. will end up closing and those that don’t may censor what artists they do exhibit. I’m not sure.
Artists will need to brainstorm together for a new path forward, one that encompasses freedom of expression and a safe community. Maybe alternative viewing sites, maybe an online group site. What worries me most about anything online is that AI may become the new Big Brother.
Those in charge come January 20 wishing to squash the self-worth of all others may be surprised by the resilience we all have. I initially felt the need to recoil from everything because I heal best by being alone and silent, but maybe the opposite is best. I’m not so sure.
You've said so much that I know I'm feeling, and I suspect so many others as well. We need those connections to manage to withstand the coming times, where I do believe you are right, there will be more monitoring of our words and actions online.
To be cautious in our connections online is not paranoia. Wisdom and discernment will be vital as we navigate through it all. I keep thinking of Brene Browns description for healthy boundaries "soft front, strong back".
How far it will go? My imagination tends to spin out with it, but we know from history that it isn't just our imagination playing with us.
If not for the health groups I belong to on Facebook, I could easily vacate that platform.
I recently saw a post saying that groups are about all FB is good for anymore, and if someone could manage to create another platform for that, there would be a mass exodus.
Instagram is another story. I struggle with where I might be able to market and show my work as easily. But then I remember that before Instagram, we had Pinterest, and before that we used Tumblr, and before that there was flickr. The very first art groups I belonged to were on eBay, long before Instagram and Facebook were a thing. There will be another evolution at some point.
Meanwhile, I'm thinking of using this blog for more frequent art posts in between my lengthier written ones. We shall see how it goes.
I'm glad we are connected here, Rebecca. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
This is my check-in...I am not fine. I feel for you, and all of the self-supporting artists out here--these are wild, wild days. While I don't make my living from art anymore, I am a teacher within the Department of Education, so there's that. I'm your kindred spirit in the area of anxiety and riding out the unknowns.
Some people are adept at compartmentalizing their lives or even their thought lives. I am not one of these people. Everything touches everything, like on a plate where the food touches and the gravy is spread all over. And I am having a difficult time getting through each day. My focus is scattered. Some of my relationships, in question--do I learn to navigate our differences, hoping to add some light to their darkness, or do I just let them go? It's all too much. Which is to say, that I am not myself these days.
Thank you for your writing and your art. The world needs you, dear friend, dear light. I love you.
O dear Jan, thank you for authentically showing up here and sharing how you're doing. you have shared so much of what we're experiencing as humans and how difficult it is to navigate through it. It feels too big and too heavy and too hopeless to find our way through. The only thing I know for sure is that we can't manage it alone. I'm here with you, even in this virtual space. Thank you for being here. What would I do without friends like you?
I also am considering leaving Facebook and Instagram. I don’t want to be subjected to unwanted political information and untruths.
I am somewhat lucky. I am at a point in my life where I no longer have to make a living from my work. It frees me up. Yet I still feel a deep ungrounding by the soon-to-be political environment. Lately, I notice I have a deep-rooted loss of trust in another. Always wondering if they will suddenly surprise me as a political vigilante or an oppressor.
Being under such constant, mental distress from it makes it very hard for me to be inspired to work or to even continue with previous work that seemed important to me. The news has been switched off in our home since the election, except for a few daily highlights here and there. That in itself is such a relief, but I am still constantly looking for a safe spot from it all.
As far as the arts are concerned, I think they will suffer with the upcoming political agenda. Funding will probably be deleted. Activists in the arts might be monitored, or maybe even all of us. It’s possible museums, galleries, etc. will end up closing and those that don’t may censor what artists they do exhibit. I’m not sure.
Artists will need to brainstorm together for a new path forward, one that encompasses freedom of expression and a safe community. Maybe alternative viewing sites, maybe an online group site. What worries me most about anything online is that AI may become the new Big Brother.
Those in charge come January 20 wishing to squash the self-worth of all others may be surprised by the resilience we all have. I initially felt the need to recoil from everything because I heal best by being alone and silent, but maybe the opposite is best. I’m not so sure.
You've said so much that I know I'm feeling, and I suspect so many others as well. We need those connections to manage to withstand the coming times, where I do believe you are right, there will be more monitoring of our words and actions online.
To be cautious in our connections online is not paranoia. Wisdom and discernment will be vital as we navigate through it all. I keep thinking of Brene Browns description for healthy boundaries "soft front, strong back".
How far it will go? My imagination tends to spin out with it, but we know from history that it isn't just our imagination playing with us.
If not for the health groups I belong to on Facebook, I could easily vacate that platform.
I recently saw a post saying that groups are about all FB is good for anymore, and if someone could manage to create another platform for that, there would be a mass exodus.
Instagram is another story. I struggle with where I might be able to market and show my work as easily. But then I remember that before Instagram, we had Pinterest, and before that we used Tumblr, and before that there was flickr. The very first art groups I belonged to were on eBay, long before Instagram and Facebook were a thing. There will be another evolution at some point.
Meanwhile, I'm thinking of using this blog for more frequent art posts in between my lengthier written ones. We shall see how it goes.
I'm glad we are connected here, Rebecca. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
Thanks so much