May '26: Creative Process, Capacity Mapping and Why Flow Isn't Always an Achievable State
And snippets of personal life from Las Vegas trip, around San Francisco, and on my bookshelf
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May was a very full month. I took a trip to Las Vegas which is always an overstimulating place but it was a wonderful little getaway with my partner that was much-needed. Our lives have been a lot of caretaking of elders and long days at work and it was great to reconnect and play. We went to see No Doubt in concert; I’m not a huge big crowd concert person but this one was nostalgic for me because No Doubt was the first band I saw as a teen at an arena … and it did not disappoint. The band was nostalgic, the crowd was nostalgic, and it was one of those times with perfect vibes. Then I got to spend the next day in the backyard of a friend who lives in Vegas, away from the chaos of the Strip. It was lovely. Vegas also included Meow Wolf, Dueling Pianos and chocolate tasting.
In personal and creative things this month, I also went to see the Hell’s Kitchen (Alicia Keys) musical with a friend and Margaret Cho and Kat Robichaud with other friends. My inspiration cup is full. I participated in an interactive art piece with one of my creative collaborators, did a hike up Mount Davidson for a view of the city, went to a German folk dance festival where I saw a 90 year old man dancing like he was 20, discovered a new-to-me tapas restaurant, and have crocheted a million granny squares.
Geesh, putting it all down, I feel tired! It was really a huge busy month but I feel grateful that I had the energy for it and expect June to have more quiet time. On the work front, I have some exciting new things going on that I’m not quite ready to announce, plus I’m in the midst of the Creative Health Cartography workbook virtual tour which I’m loving and I’m really enjoying working on my new podcast although I’m not sure what putting it behind the paywall is going to work out like. We’ll see.
Here’s what I wrote and shared in May:
I am so grateful to the people who are sharing my work on their Substacks in participation with my virtual book tour. Gratitude to my May stops: Shinjini, Dr Alisdair Wiseman, Meredith Lewis, Allegra Chapman (she/her), Tim ONeill, Manuela Thames and Emily Geleske who collective shared my essays on creative consistency, creative blocks, the business side of creative life, creative rest vs. creative avoidance, creativity after loss, what the nervous system has to do with making things and sustainable creativity.
Dear Artist Letters
Every Sunday, I share letters for artists who might be going through specific challenges. I hope that sometimes they resonate. In May I shared:
May Themes
On Wednesdays, I take inspiration from the week’s artist letter and provide more researched and grounded writing on that theme along with links to related writing. May’s themes were:
Podcast Episodes
The podcast episodes align pretty closely to the themes of each week.
Other Writing
On Medium:
What Twenty Years in the Same Medium Teaches You: 7 Things the Long Relationship Reveals
Your Choice of Creative Medium Was Never Just Aesthetic: 8 Ways Health Shapes What You Make With
The Creative Process You Keep Secret: 7 Things It Knows That the “Respectable” Version Doesn’t
Words From Others
Thrilled to be able to share this guest post from Allegra Chapman, whose writing on creativity is invaluable:
And these inspiring quotes:
This is the monthly recap of everything I wrote in April plus some life updates and other things. If you like to keep your inbox quiet, you are able to subscribe just to these monthly updates. Here’s how.
May Reading
Notice the books by Substack authors Monique Mulligan and Austin Kleon
