Love-hate relationship

Five things from this week

This week: Digital ecosystems. Human Intelligence instead of that artificial stuff. Ugh, Adobe. Collage art. A peek into my wishlist. And more!

🔗 Any text that is underlined is a link that can be clicked 🔗

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1. Website feedback

I got some really good feedback after I shared my website last week.

Davin Trail-Risk said, “I prefer the eclectic, everything in one somewhat organized box. It says ‘real living human’ to me.” I like eclectic boxes.

Kirin McCrory introduced me to the work of Kening Zhu. They think about websites as digital ecosystems (reminds me of Sarah Shotts’ Compost Heap) and the internet as creative practice (I think Seth Werkheiser would be into this).

Matt Foltz-Gray said, “I too struggle with threading the needle. ‘Here's what I CAN do but here's what I really WANT to do.’” I’m going to start thinking about putting my work into CAN and WANT categories.

So much good stuff to unpack and explore! Plus more. Come hang out in the comments if you want.

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2. Human Intelligence

Beth Spencer is encouraging people to make Human Intelligence badges to show support for human artists. You can join her on Instagram and see what other people have posted.

Here’s mine:

I added a disclaimer because I rely heavily on digital tools every day to make the things I make. I fell in love with graphic design because it allowed me to make things without having to draw, paint or sculpt.

The computer is my main tool but I have a love-hate relationship with my laptop.

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3. Speaking of love-hate…

Any thoughts on Adobe’s “we own all your stuff now” update?

Should I just use Figma and ProCreate from now on?

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4. “Gradients”

“Gradients” by Duane Toops

The wonderful artist Duane Toops sent me one of his postcard collages. I love the color scheme and how the red shape dances through the vertical lines. It’s a delight to get his work in my inbox (and now in my mailbox). Check him out if you’re into collage, music or poetry.

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5. Wishlist

I like to keep a list of cool products I will probably never own. Here’s a few:

• Time Since Launch. A single-use clock that can count up to 2,738 years.

• ASH. A Pokedex for plants and bugs.

• Time of the Sky. A watch that shows you an image of the sky.

• Cake. Futuristic mopeds. I love the colorful glass. ASYNC’s e-bikes have a similar vibe.

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ALSO

• The Green Golem – Cat and Girl

• Digital installation exploring the non-objective nature of time – Non-Objective

• Think I can justify spending $120 on a water bottle holder?

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“Yeah, the green grape Packers” (trying to say Green Bay Packers)

“I’m are eating my psh-ketti!”

Comics I read this week:

Tokyo These Days, Vol. 2 – Taiyō Matsumoto / Night Fisher – R. Kikuo Johnson

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This newsletter was made by Mitchell Volk with help from Carly Volk and Knox Volk. It was written, edited, illustrated and animated between June 10 and June 16, 2024. It was sent from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, USA. It took 5 hours and 12 minutes to make. It was made with love.