This community art project is a great part of Substack. In some ways Substack is a kind of Substack U, a continually evolving electronic middle ages old school university where excellent knowledge about all aspects of art and other similar or totally different areas of life and knowledge are researched and investigated and the results continually presented by expert adjunct professor/writers. It reminds of the Middle Ages in the time of Thomas Aquinas when much art and knowledge residing in the custody of religion but gradually became more and more secular under religion's parental protection. Monks in monasteries studied, wrote or drew art daily. The past is reimagined, retro electronically refitted or remixed into a modern hybrid of the very old, which is Substack!
Challenges work! The best challenge I ran was a 21-day circadian fitness challenge, addressing health by changing our light environment, and relationship with technology.
Very inspiring! Makes me wanna draw!!! LOVE the idea of growing an organic community in this way and creating a safe, nourishing, and encouraging environment. This is the kinda stuff that can change the world at a cellular level. Such beautiful work!!
Wendy, thanks for all you’ve shared. I got out my colored pencils, my daily journal and drew my troubled squamous skin cancer wound on my head from a large surgery. Even though my head feels on fire at times, I had to giggle as I viewed what I drew, crazy! So with gratitude for a lighter look!
Well - let me just pick out two weeks of drawing - I had a little heart attack on our cruise ship, between Rhodos and Creta - and recovered those two weeks in a nice hospital in Heraklion. Now, that is just next to what is left of the ancient Knossos, and Theseus cum other youngster hostages from Athens must have landed in Heraklion, too. I knew it from earlier visits - also the oldest European Law (on stone blocks in Gortys: 650BC) and the participants in Troy: Phaistos.
Inspiring though was the 'Tauromaquia" (as Goya would call it) of which Knossos is so famous.
Now what? - I wanted to add those sketches, drawings here - but there is no such option!
D... it! Why talk about it - if you can't send it?
Would love to see your drawings. Glad you are recovering from a 'little' heart attack too!!! Am going to Greece in April for 2 months and love the place & the ancient history. May you enjoy much more art & history in 2025.
It's my field since school (an old Latin school dating from near 1250 AD). That is also why I would wish I could spent three weeks or so in Gortyn, just across Crete island to its South coast, to sit down and translate the 'Code of Gortys', the old law blocks from about 650-700 BC. Also nice the foundations of Phaistos, acity that took part in the War in Troya (about 1200 BC marked between older and younger layers by its signs of burning). As said: My field: Philosopher and Historian (plus Linguist).
Great article and best of luck! Curious how you segment the 30 day challenge out from your regular subscription offerings? Do you use the Section feature or something else?
Suppose I wanted to share the 30 day series, on an individual basis. Like I connect with a person, and invite them to the series and community, and then they can start the series and go through it sequentially whenever they have the time? Could you do that?
We are keeping it up through the end of feb then taking it down. That way it is inclusive of people’s calendars, but the colllective experience is special when it happens.
What a great piece. "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain," and companion workbook by artist, and UCLA faculty member, Betty Edwards, changed my life. She was the first to use neuroscience research findings for drawing, and seeing pedagogy. Roger Sperry did a great deal of his groundbreaking neuroscience research at UCLA.
You've created this wonderful 30 days of drawing media series. Suppose you wanted to rerun it every six months. Would you have to create a new Substack account to do that?
I don’t rerun the series - it’s new every time (at least for now) because it’s an experience and experiment for me just as much the community. We really do it together. I think 1x a year is good for a monthly challenge. We do periodic weekly ones throughout the year to brush up.
I found out about Substack through Wendy’s newsletter. Her incredibly disciplined yet creative approach to both her work and how she runs her newsletter has been a tremendous source of inspiration. I'm so glad to see her featured in this series.
This community art project is a great part of Substack. In some ways Substack is a kind of Substack U, a continually evolving electronic middle ages old school university where excellent knowledge about all aspects of art and other similar or totally different areas of life and knowledge are researched and investigated and the results continually presented by expert adjunct professor/writers. It reminds of the Middle Ages in the time of Thomas Aquinas when much art and knowledge residing in the custody of religion but gradually became more and more secular under religion's parental protection. Monks in monasteries studied, wrote or drew art daily. The past is reimagined, retro electronically refitted or remixed into a modern hybrid of the very old, which is Substack!
Challenges work! The best challenge I ran was a 21-day circadian fitness challenge, addressing health by changing our light environment, and relationship with technology.
Very inspiring! Makes me wanna draw!!! LOVE the idea of growing an organic community in this way and creating a safe, nourishing, and encouraging environment. This is the kinda stuff that can change the world at a cellular level. Such beautiful work!!
👏👏👏
Wendy, thanks for all you’ve shared. I got out my colored pencils, my daily journal and drew my troubled squamous skin cancer wound on my head from a large surgery. Even though my head feels on fire at times, I had to giggle as I viewed what I drew, crazy! So with gratitude for a lighter look!
Huzzah!
I'm really sorry to hear that, I hope your visiting Good doctor's?
This is fabulous - just gave it a quick look, but saving to reread more closely later. So Intrigued and inspired!
great piece -- great job. Very inspiring!
Well - let me just pick out two weeks of drawing - I had a little heart attack on our cruise ship, between Rhodos and Creta - and recovered those two weeks in a nice hospital in Heraklion. Now, that is just next to what is left of the ancient Knossos, and Theseus cum other youngster hostages from Athens must have landed in Heraklion, too. I knew it from earlier visits - also the oldest European Law (on stone blocks in Gortys: 650BC) and the participants in Troy: Phaistos.
Inspiring though was the 'Tauromaquia" (as Goya would call it) of which Knossos is so famous.
Now what? - I wanted to add those sketches, drawings here - but there is no such option!
D... it! Why talk about it - if you can't send it?
J Boost
Would love to see your drawings. Glad you are recovering from a 'little' heart attack too!!! Am going to Greece in April for 2 months and love the place & the ancient history. May you enjoy much more art & history in 2025.
It's my field since school (an old Latin school dating from near 1250 AD). That is also why I would wish I could spent three weeks or so in Gortyn, just across Crete island to its South coast, to sit down and translate the 'Code of Gortys', the old law blocks from about 650-700 BC. Also nice the foundations of Phaistos, acity that took part in the War in Troya (about 1200 BC marked between older and younger layers by its signs of burning). As said: My field: Philosopher and Historian (plus Linguist).
Looking fwd to it. Fascinated by ancient history too.
Great article and best of luck! Curious how you segment the 30 day challenge out from your regular subscription offerings? Do you use the Section feature or something else?
Hi Shelby, ya Wendy uses a section dedicated for the practice titled, "30 Days of Drawing, 2025"
Thanks, Matt! It's a brilliant idea. This was such a great article too.
Great article and I am glad inspired! To paint draw and grow my subscribers. How many paid subscribers came from the first thirty day challenge?
Suppose I wanted to share the 30 day series, on an individual basis. Like I connect with a person, and invite them to the series and community, and then they can start the series and go through it sequentially whenever they have the time? Could you do that?
We are keeping it up through the end of feb then taking it down. That way it is inclusive of people’s calendars, but the colllective experience is special when it happens.
great tips, thank you
Right On!
What a great piece. "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain," and companion workbook by artist, and UCLA faculty member, Betty Edwards, changed my life. She was the first to use neuroscience research findings for drawing, and seeing pedagogy. Roger Sperry did a great deal of his groundbreaking neuroscience research at UCLA.
Betty is a huge inspiration and gets major shout outs in the 30 days (and all my work, always) - we all are so indebted to her!
You've created this wonderful 30 days of drawing media series. Suppose you wanted to rerun it every six months. Would you have to create a new Substack account to do that?
I don’t rerun the series - it’s new every time (at least for now) because it’s an experience and experiment for me just as much the community. We really do it together. I think 1x a year is good for a monthly challenge. We do periodic weekly ones throughout the year to brush up.
Loved reading this. Thanks for sharing, Wendi.
Excellent! Such a good tonic for your soul.
I found out about Substack through Wendy’s newsletter. Her incredibly disciplined yet creative approach to both her work and how she runs her newsletter has been a tremendous source of inspiration. I'm so glad to see her featured in this series.