Colorful glass in Palm Springs

I went on a cleaning spree recently and got rid of all the stuff I collected during the pandemic. It feels good to reduce clutter and make room for new projects. I've been working on a series of larger art pieces but have been struggling with the small cutting area on my laser cutter. So I broke down and pre-ordered a larger laser. Laser cutting technology has improved a lot so this new laser has a larger cutting area but a much smaller footprint. It's perfect for a small studio like mine.

Moving on to new projects can be scary so I wrote a blog post about embracing uncertainty. Even if we feel unsure about trying something new, it can encourage us open our minds, get over creative blocks, and even help us make important life changes.

• The latest artist I'm obsessed with is Japanese artist Kumi Sugai. He was known for his colorful geometric paintings but you can see the influence of Japanese calligraphy and ukiyo-e woodblock techniques in his work. 
• I read an early version of the new Derek Sivers book How to Live. Like his previous books, there's a lot of good life advice in there—especially for entrepreneurs. Also check out Anything You Want and Hell Yeah or No. 
• If you're thinking about getting an MFA, you might want to read the graphic novel Wendy, Master of Art for a grim but entertaining view on art school. 
• While spring cleaning, I picked up The Art of Discarding which has some illuminating ideas about the relationship we have with our stuff. It's the book that inspired The Magic of Tidying Up .
• I've been listening to the Hot Mess podcast which combines two things I'm into right now: drag queens and psychotherapy. 
• I'm listening to a lot of techno via Detroit Love Vol. 5 mixed by DJ Holographic and Roman Flügel's Ultraviolet. Hotel Pools' Palmscapes is perfect for summer chilling.
• I enjoyed this Halston documentary (much more than the Halston show on Netflix).
• I thought Hacks was hilarious. I loved the dynamic between the two comics (who couldn't be more different). 

As you sort out what to throw away and what to keep, you come to realize what's really necessary. 

—Nagisa Tatsumi

The space we live in should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.

—Marie Kondo

 
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