Hidden Progress

Looking back ten years ago...

A few months ago my Instagram account was hacked, suspended and then erased within minutes … or at least, seemingly so! Thankfully I got it all back with some help from a friend, but I couldn’t help but feel a bit foolish with how I reacted to this - gasps, some tears, a little bit of heart palpitations, long walks to calm my nervous system - you get the gist.

To me Instagram is the ultimate scrapbook of the business I’ve grown since 2009 - starting as a creative outlet, growing into a side hustle, and finally developing into a full-time endeavor. I realized in this moment it went blank, that none of that was mine anymore along with the followers I’ve organically accumulated along the way. Always wondering if it was enough of a following, but then immediately realizing how many people 4k is and the reality of how amazing that was.

It got me thinking a lot about hidden progress over time, and how important it is to be able to see that as an artist. That’s why sketchbooks are so important to us, and why sharing work with the world feels important on things like IG. I look back at the days I first arrived in Amsterdam in 2016 - TEN YEARS AGO! - a photo of art supplies I had packed from our Brooklyn apt to move with.

A pristine setup, a roaring heart ready for what was next. The feeling of not having a boss for the first time and getting to make this dream of mine a reality. Having endless hours in a European city to gather inspiration and figure out what alstampa could be. What I could be.

500+ weeks ago I posted that blank slate and ten years later I am sitting in my studio in Vermont, resetting after a couple of weeks on the road for client work. So many pinch me moments have happened since then, but the real prize is finally realizing that ten years into my business, I know what I’m doing, I know who I want to work with and I’ve stayed true to that organically. I’ve said yes to opportunities that came my way, I’ve said no to people who I could sense didn’t value my time and I never said or say no to scary things.

Starting your own business is scary, but when your main goal is just to keep doing this thing that you believe in, and letting time and experience shift it into corners you couldn’t see were there it IS pretty worth it.

So here I am, investing in this substack space that feels a bit more of my own, hitting your inboxes like little mailed letters. What I really want to say is thanks so much for being here, it means the world to me.

Thanks for being here and stay tuned!