Hello Wendy! So happy to be part of this community. All the assignments and artist interviews and the little hearts on our contributions. I truly appreciate the time, energy and love you dedicate to GUT. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Here is my concern: you are one person and you have many cool and demanding projects besides our community (the show, the podcast, your own illustration career, now Classrooms). I'm not sure how you are doing it all, but RESPECT. I hope you have permission to let yourself off the hook for coming up with an incredibly unique assignment every single week? I love 'em, but I don't want you to run out of spoons.
Here are a few, "Hey class, how about we watch a video today?" ideas for assignments:
1. MAKE UP EXAM: Pick an assignment you haven't done so far and do it. I think several of us have catching up to do, plus there are new folks. It's way more fun when there is an active/new thread where we can share. Bonus points if it's something you are avoiding (hi, perspective).
2. ART SALAD: Combine any two or three previous assignments and make a new assignment for yourself (did someone say color palette + zine?)
3. SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: Pick an artist, tell us a little about them, and then create an accompanying assignment. The following week, pick someone else's assignment and do it! (i.e. I might talk about Jim Dine and ask folks to draw an object they find in their "everything drawer")
Jo. Hi. How wonderful are you. Beyond. Thank you for being so thoughtful and considerate and generous. And I WILL TAKE YOU UP ON THIS. Truth be known I’m working on hiring an assistant to help me with the GUT and I’ll be able to step back and do a little planning and structuring so I don’t get buried or burnt out on something I love doing so much. Your suggestions are stellar and I’ll integrate some mov in ahead. And please keep offering suggestions and feedback. What fuels me as much as creating the gut is the community here so your engagement with each other is really the best. Thanks for being here and being you!
I'm very happy to hear that you are working on hiring an assistant - that's wonderful news. I belong to quite a few substack communities and I can say (with authority!) that you've got something really special here. We want to help you in keeping it the amazing place that it is!
Thank you! I'm very grateful for your empathetic opening up with this all-inclusive post. I really am so interested in every free email and wish to join you as a subscriber, yet for this multifaceted aging artist life expenses have risen out of hand. It's a feeling as if the boat is sinking! You are such an inspiration, perhaps today's post will finally!!! "Un-stick" me! Much love & peace always ♡
My daily delights have been, well, a daily delight. To say the least. I have been in intensive rehearsals for a very important show* in Alameda next weekend, and the daily drawing gives me something completely unrelated to focus on, a medicine to my fatigue. (*Wai Ola - the Waters of Life - a love song to the power of water to shape and mother us all! I’ll be one of the hula dancers.) Will post my drawings on the thread. Mahalo, Wendy ❤️❤️
This is such a great post. Thanks so much, WendyMac....and I own that book by Kerwin and I remember reading an article on Janice Lowry's art-making space, her death and her donation of stuff to the Smithsonian. She was a journaling-type of artist, daily and her output was amazing, so thank you for reminding me of her and here's to lists. HURRAH!
I recall it was a full color article where she had so many treasures stored in antique suitcases and funky wooden cabinets with drawers half-opened and filled with amazing things; seashells, stones, beads, paint pots; it was such a great piece on a fabulous artist and i felt very bad when a few years(?) later I read of her death and the subsequent gift to the Smithsonian. It would be so lovely to some day visit and see her journals--the article also had photos of a few of those pages.
I have not missed one lesson but am behind in getting them finished in a timely manner---so hoping to catch up and send you my small output, however on my list will be the substack writers I have been introduced to and not even those obvious writers/artists like Maira or Austin, but some of the ones that my fellow gutsters read. My list will have to include all the things I have learned by checking out the blogs, hearing what these lovely people do in their own spare time besides the wendy classes. I think it was Tolkien or CS Lewis who said "we read to know we are not alone" and now I can verify that. Thank you everyone for just doing you---I have found my tribe--finally.
Hi Wendy. I’ve shared GUT with friends and family and DT with teachers, you are doing a wonderful thing. I have to throw a few other inspirations out there that I enjoy as well: Maria Popova, who writes the amazing The Marginalian (used to be Brain Pickings). You can really go down some interesting rabbit holes with her newsletter. And Shaun Usher, on Substack, who has both Letters of Note ( a newsletter as well as a couple of wonderful books) and Diaries of Note. Both insights into other souls. Just wanted to share with everyone!
Hi Wendy, I finally made it! If you have a moment - I’m on the free Substack at this time. If you can guide me on to the Grown Ups table and where you would like me to be etc. 🙂 my interest is very high!
Thank you Wendy for your generosity and for inviting everyone to join in the delight!
Much appreciation!
Hello Wendy! So happy to be part of this community. All the assignments and artist interviews and the little hearts on our contributions. I truly appreciate the time, energy and love you dedicate to GUT. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Here is my concern: you are one person and you have many cool and demanding projects besides our community (the show, the podcast, your own illustration career, now Classrooms). I'm not sure how you are doing it all, but RESPECT. I hope you have permission to let yourself off the hook for coming up with an incredibly unique assignment every single week? I love 'em, but I don't want you to run out of spoons.
Here are a few, "Hey class, how about we watch a video today?" ideas for assignments:
1. MAKE UP EXAM: Pick an assignment you haven't done so far and do it. I think several of us have catching up to do, plus there are new folks. It's way more fun when there is an active/new thread where we can share. Bonus points if it's something you are avoiding (hi, perspective).
2. ART SALAD: Combine any two or three previous assignments and make a new assignment for yourself (did someone say color palette + zine?)
3. SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: Pick an artist, tell us a little about them, and then create an accompanying assignment. The following week, pick someone else's assignment and do it! (i.e. I might talk about Jim Dine and ask folks to draw an object they find in their "everything drawer")
Let us know how we can pitch in!
And in fact, would you like to be a substitute teacher in the months ahead? Email me!
Tried to reply to a substack mail from you it didn't seem to work. Let me know the best way to reach you or send me a message somehow. Thanks!
Hi Jo! Try DrawTogetherwithwendymac@gmail.com ❤️
I'd be honored! I will email you.
Jo. Hi. How wonderful are you. Beyond. Thank you for being so thoughtful and considerate and generous. And I WILL TAKE YOU UP ON THIS. Truth be known I’m working on hiring an assistant to help me with the GUT and I’ll be able to step back and do a little planning and structuring so I don’t get buried or burnt out on something I love doing so much. Your suggestions are stellar and I’ll integrate some mov in ahead. And please keep offering suggestions and feedback. What fuels me as much as creating the gut is the community here so your engagement with each other is really the best. Thanks for being here and being you!
I'm very happy to hear that you are working on hiring an assistant - that's wonderful news. I belong to quite a few substack communities and I can say (with authority!) that you've got something really special here. We want to help you in keeping it the amazing place that it is!
Thank you! I'm very grateful for your empathetic opening up with this all-inclusive post. I really am so interested in every free email and wish to join you as a subscriber, yet for this multifaceted aging artist life expenses have risen out of hand. It's a feeling as if the boat is sinking! You are such an inspiration, perhaps today's post will finally!!! "Un-stick" me! Much love & peace always ♡
My daily delights have been, well, a daily delight. To say the least. I have been in intensive rehearsals for a very important show* in Alameda next weekend, and the daily drawing gives me something completely unrelated to focus on, a medicine to my fatigue. (*Wai Ola - the Waters of Life - a love song to the power of water to shape and mother us all! I’ll be one of the hula dancers.) Will post my drawings on the thread. Mahalo, Wendy ❤️❤️
Omg. An assignment that is about lists! One of my previous assignments I pondered list making. How
Perfect. Can’t wait to create my visual
List of what I have learned!
I just upgraded my subscription. I should have done a long time ago.. I am Austin Kleon subscriber.
Anyway I will try to catch up the previous assignments that I missed! Thanks!!
This is such a great post. Thanks so much, WendyMac....and I own that book by Kerwin and I remember reading an article on Janice Lowry's art-making space, her death and her donation of stuff to the Smithsonian. She was a journaling-type of artist, daily and her output was amazing, so thank you for reminding me of her and here's to lists. HURRAH!
I recall it was a full color article where she had so many treasures stored in antique suitcases and funky wooden cabinets with drawers half-opened and filled with amazing things; seashells, stones, beads, paint pots; it was such a great piece on a fabulous artist and i felt very bad when a few years(?) later I read of her death and the subsequent gift to the Smithsonian. It would be so lovely to some day visit and see her journals--the article also had photos of a few of those pages.
I have not missed one lesson but am behind in getting them finished in a timely manner---so hoping to catch up and send you my small output, however on my list will be the substack writers I have been introduced to and not even those obvious writers/artists like Maira or Austin, but some of the ones that my fellow gutsters read. My list will have to include all the things I have learned by checking out the blogs, hearing what these lovely people do in their own spare time besides the wendy classes. I think it was Tolkien or CS Lewis who said "we read to know we are not alone" and now I can verify that. Thank you everyone for just doing you---I have found my tribe--finally.
Hi Wendy. I’ve shared GUT with friends and family and DT with teachers, you are doing a wonderful thing. I have to throw a few other inspirations out there that I enjoy as well: Maria Popova, who writes the amazing The Marginalian (used to be Brain Pickings). You can really go down some interesting rabbit holes with her newsletter. And Shaun Usher, on Substack, who has both Letters of Note ( a newsletter as well as a couple of wonderful books) and Diaries of Note. Both insights into other souls. Just wanted to share with everyone!
Hi Wendy, I finally made it! If you have a moment - I’m on the free Substack at this time. If you can guide me on to the Grown Ups table and where you would like me to be etc. 🙂 my interest is very high!
Hi! You’ll get a GUT dispatch tomorrow! Take a look and let’s chat!
Hi! I look forward to it! Thanks