A new home for my newsletter
The last piece of my brand new puzzle....
Goodness me more change. I think I am getting too old for this! I am pleased with all the changes so far and this is my last one for a good while. I have moved my newsletter over into substack along with many other creatives. I can’t help smiling at this as substack finds its place in the virtual world. For me, it is like coming home as, for many years, I was a blogger and this feels very similar. However, it is a brand new version and I think I understand what it is trying to do. The attraction for me is the intention to build a community. Not just a pursuit of more and more likes but a genuine community of folk that share perspectives on life. Back in 2013 I was sponsored to write a blog post a day for a year. It remains one of the most amazing things I have ever done and Scottish island mum was born. By the end of January I already had a wonderful community of folk curious about living on a Scottish island and we wandered along together for a whole year. This shift to substack feels very similar.
All the changes I have made recently have been about one thing - building a genuine community. The faded charms of social media had long departed from my world and I have realised that I might just be allergic to immediacy. Social media platforms are all about that. My new home on Youtube allows me to slowly unfurl my creative world in a deeper and more meaningful way. I am a seasonal artist so my community will aim to look through that viewfinder and interepet the natural world through endless creative journeys. I call myself an artisan rather than an artist as I think that reflects my practice better. On any given day you might find me in my studio, garden or out and about exploring the island. It is these three contexts that underpin my new films over on my Youtube channel. I have just finished filming my next one from my flower space. Prior to that I was in my kitchen and before that my sewing room.
I have my lovely Patreon community to thank for all these changes. That was the first leap off social media to build a creative community off Facebook and it has worked so well. The shift to Youtube was next and now across to substack. This is a remarkable place where writing is valued over quick posts on social media deepening the relationships between writer and reader. Slow, unfurling content is seen as more rewarding than instant posts and constant scrolling so you can see why I jumped in. The app is worth popping on your phone and you will have access to writers from all over the world and across many different disciplines. You can find my lovely daughter here with her Hippy Highland Living space. She, as usual, is way ahead of me on conent and all of it is worth a wee read with a cuppa.
Questions from you
Continuing my wee newsletter element where I answer questions. Most common question at the moment surrounds what folk can expect from my Youtube channel. I am aiming for a weekly film following my seasonal creative projects peppered with shorter films drawing out more details on some of the projects I have completed in recent years. I really only have one aim and that is to spark creative journeys in others. Over the years I have been blessed with some wonderful teachers who have inspired my journeys. I think that is what all teachers want - the spark of something new. Learning has exploded as a result of the pandemic and long may it continue. My Youtube films are a light touch giving folk the option to join me for a class or over in my Patreon community if they want a more indepth experience.
You will receive my newsletter as normal into your inbox but if you want to nip across to substack I think you will be pleased with what it offers. It is all completely free and this is in sharp contrast to other places - maybe the tide is turning backwards! I hope so, anyway. I am hugely grateful for your company. x