Life as Art & the Magic Mundane 🧺 🎨
Of Shoes & Ships & Sealing Wax (June, 2022)
Time melted after my book launch so this update encompasses both May and June.
I’ve slowed down considerably for summer. I know there’s only so much I can do with Davy home all day so I’ve put several projects on pause (like podcasting and my self publishing Q&A.)
And I’ve been experimenting with creative projects that fit within the limits of time, space, and energy I have at the moment.
Here’s what I’ve been working on…
Performance Art
It’s a bit surprising, as someone who has studied both art and drama, that I’ve never really considered making performance art.
Drawing inspiration from mother artist Cassie Arnold I’ve started a performance piece of my own.
I’ve begun recording time-lapse videos of myself cutting tags out of Davy’s clothing for the My Brain on Motherhood series. This simple mundane task is a quintessentially autistic experience. (Mom cut tags out of my clothes for years.)
This process makes art from life and brings visibility into the domestic sphere in the spirit of Mierle Laderman Ukeles’ Maintenance Art.
When I exhibit this work the tags will be displayed alongside the performance.
Baking
I’ve also spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Alongside constantly feeding my growing toddler I’ve also been trying out a low FODMOP meal plan to help with some EDS related digestion problems.
Unfortunately… it’s working. 😂
(My tummy is happy, but the list of foods my body can’t digest is growing rapidly.)
In the absence of so many favorites I have found one new recipe I absolutely love.
3 ingredient peanut butter cookies. These are delicious (and are also gluten free, but they don’t taste like it.)
Here’s the recipe…
Sarah’s Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup of peanut butter*
3/4 cup sugar**
* Use your favorite. I’ve been making my own peanut butter this month which is surprisingly easy (but it does require a powerful blender).
** I use demerara sugar which I keep on hand for my tea.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350° F (that’s Gas Mark 4 for my UK folk) 😉
Mix ingredients.
Roll into one inch balls (I use this scoop.) Bigger ones do not bake well… trust me, I tried. 😂
Press a criss-cross with a long tined fork and sprinkle a bit more more sugar. (Or sea salt if you’re daring.)
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Give them some time to firm up. (They will be soft at first.) Then scoff one down while it’s still warm. Keep the rest in an airtight bag.
Photography
Last week I wrote about intentional inconsistency, but The Magic Mundane project with Claire Venus has become a daily practice. Sometimes the best way to cultivate daily creativity in your life is to make it as easy as possible.
We exchange photos once a day and post the highlights to Instagram. (You can join in with the hashtag #themagicmundane.) ✨
I also create a diptych each week to add to my portfolio. I’m really looking forward to exhibiting these and seeing them up on a wall together.
Writing
I’ve really been drawn to writing this summer. There are no supplies. No set up or clean up.
I’ve been drafting posts on my phone (which I’m doing right now) and journaling on paper (now that Davy has left the human goat phase.)
This uptick in writing is one reason I created Substack so I have a space to share long form writing more frequently.
It feels like old school blogging and I am here for it!
Finishing up my book is on hold until autumn when Davy goes back to school. (Thank goodness I had the foresight to choose an autumnal release date!) Past me would have promised the book over summer and would be hurtling at lightspeed into burn out. 🚀
That’s all for me this month! What have you been making?
I thought I was going to add a fourth one but I think my motherhood “skin to skin” painting series is done. Now I’m starting a consistent writing practice with my substack https://motherhoodminute.substack.com/about