I haven’t felt like writing as much the past few months and clammed up a bit. The world’s been burning extra fiery and hot lately, so taking it all in can be a bit creatively stultifying. Thankfully, some personal grace kicked in and I let my writing meet myself where I am.
So, this here missive, after a long hiatus, represents what I’ve been reading, seeing, watching or making lately. Take a look at some recent artwork, watch an orchestra play Fat Boy Slim hits, apply to speak at a design conference, and grab some interesting reading to last you through the long weekend. Let’s explore, shall we?
Also: Where have you been giving yourself some grace lately? What or who have been supportive in your world? Hit reply and drop me a line. I’m especially interested in the concept of giving oneself the pause and space to think in order to move forward. Stopping in order to move forward, paradoxically.
Current Exhibition | “Haneen – a journey of yearning, nostalgia and myth making”
Le Relais (The Rest Stop), Urvillers, Picardy, France (49.785217° N, 3.335063° E) | Cyanotype print
Over the past year and especially the last couple months I’ve been slowly developing an art practice again after 20+ years of being away. I’ve been particularly experimenting with the concepts of (im)migration, the interstitial (being between places/states), and trying to find a sense of place overall.
The media I use are cyanotypes of satellite maps along with colour giclée photographic prints. For the next few months, I’m in a collaborative exhibition with Palestinian-Scottish artist Leena Nammari and that of local printmakers. The official title is “Haneen – a journey of yearning, nostalgia and myth making”. We tackle the concepts of geographic displacement and its possible effects on current, past or future generations, culturally.
See some of my work here and on Instagram . I can’t wait to make even more instances and explore these concepts more deeply in the future.
Exhibition Info | Open:Nov 18th, 2023 – Feb 3rd, 2024 at the Gracefield Arts Centre, Scotland
Le Relais, Interior| | Colour giclée print
UX Scotland 2024 Call for Speakers | 29-31 May 2024
Applications are due Friday, January 12, 2024
UX Scotland is putting out its call for speakers for the 2024 edition. It’s a great group of service designers, ux designers and researchers, and others involved in user-centered design. You don’t have to be a resident of the UK to apply to be a speaker. If you have an idea for a workshop, talk, case study or whatnot, just bring it. Applications are due Friday, January 12, 2024.
I’m also proud to say I’m now part of the advisory panel for UX Scotland who will craft the conference along with the vital attendee feedback received each year.
Apply to speak at UX Scotland| Need some guidance?Check out some quick tips
Links 'n Tings
In my recent mental and visual periphery.
READ
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
A look at myriad ways we can navigate various seasons of life and the year, sink deeply into them, and acclimate ourselves to our surroundings. I've been chipping at this book for the last year at a nice slow pace.
"While amusing to see the homogenization of content writing, this actually points to a real problem: a lack of understanding of context."
Originally written by Octavia Butler in the 1979, in 2017 it was adapted by John Jennings and Damian Duffy into a graphic novel. Kindred follows a Black woman in the 1970s who's ripped back into plantation slavery via unwilling time travel. I honestly hadn't read the book up until now and it took seeing it visually formatted to finally help me devour the story.
WATCH OR LISTEN
Listen to all your favourite dance hits played by an exceptionally happy classical orchestra. Watch and smile for a couple hours.
SEE OR DO
and its new looks for the season. Created by Margaux Rusita, a designer originally from Guyana who now lives in Burundi. She designs and crafts jewelry based on Amazonian low-waste values and East African materials. Site link
"This online exhibition is about our families, whether chosen, by blood or by proximity. These human stories, memories, and histories comprise the past, present, and future of lives lived and projections of what may be."
Artist: Anahit Cass
Thank you for reading…
As I mentioned at the beginning: Where have you been giving yourself some grace lately? Just reply and ping me. If you'd like to chat sometime in the next couple months, schedule some time in my calendar for a catch up. The holiday season is packed so let's give ourselves some realistic timelines. :)
In the meantime, go find me around the web as well:
Website | LinkedIn | Medium | Twitter | Instagram
Talk soon,
Tricia