I make art because I get sad when I don’t.
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Mindfully Unapologetic has launched.
I’m elated to announce the launch of my most recent project. Mindfully Unapologetic is an independent community art project for empathy advocacy and creative inspiration. No sign-in or account required. No fees. It’s just something nice I made on the internet that I want to share with others who get it. Mindfully Unapologetic is a…
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Cool Colors, Art Journal | 2010-2012
I created this visual journal using a 6in x 6in wire-bound hard cover Canson mixed media sketchbook. I prefer wire-bound sketchbooks because you can gently loosen the binding to remove the paper (then I just reassemble the sketchbook when the journal is finished). It’s also easier to work on several pages in one sitting when…
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Warm Colors, Art Journal | 2010-2012
This is a visual journal I created using a wire-bound hard cover Canson water media sketchbook. I recommend wire-bound sketchbooks because you can gently loosen the binding to remove the paper (then I just reassemble the sketchbook when the journal is finished). Look for a sketchbook “for” a wet medium (like painting, watercolor, mixed-media, etc.)…
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Altered Days of Fun, Art Journal | 2021-2022
This is an altered book journal created from a children’s book I found in a free little library while out walking my dogs. I love created altered book art journals because I’m already given something fun to work with on each page. If you choose to create an altered book art journal, I recommend removing…
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Altered New York, Art Journal | 2020-2021
In the year of 2021 I had the lowest and darkest bout of depression I’d ever experienced. I felt overwhelmed, discouraged, heartbroken by humanity and exhausted. In turn, the healing from that difficult place brought me into myself in a beautiful expanded loving way I didn’t think possible. We grow from struggle and suffering, but–it’s…
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Hope on a Technicality (Allowing hope despite my lack of constitutional equality)
Because if I can’t be a mom, my existence serves no purpose. Well, my existence actually means a lot, especially to me. I know my value because, unlike Christian Nationalists, I refuse to be afraid of myself. Keep hope. These desperate acts of oppression are rooted in fear. This is intended to throw you off…
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‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’ (Inner calm in challenging times)
I took a deep breath and responded, “It’s okay. Everything is unfolding exactly as it will. Things are breaking and it’s hard, but things have to break to create something better. It’s uncomfortable, but the future is truly unknowable and full of possibility. More and more people are seeing that things aren’t working. And as…
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Bath-time Rebellion & the Subtle Oppression of Self-Care Consumerism
Despite loving baths as a child, they lost interest and purpose into adulthood (like a lot of joyful childhood pleasures). As an adult baths lost their purpose–and as an adult, you should only do things that have purpose or financial viability, right? And with a bath–what do you do? What’s the point? I just sit…
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Spiritual Faith & Atheism (Psst…the secret ingredient is love)
I have faith that I’m capable of handling whatever unfolds in my life. This sense of faith is relatively new to me. Having lived with general anxiety and major depression for nearly two decades, as appealing as the concept sounded, I didn’t know how to just be mentally in the present moment. It was unimaginable.…
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Why naked? Authentic. Vulnerable. Enigmatic.
I’ve been literally naked modeling in life drawing classes and photography. In some ways modeling, specifically for photographers, was a perfect distraction–a way to avoid the doubts and struggles that would inevitably accompany pursuing my own art. As a model, I felt far less exposed, I was risking very little (artistically) on my part. As…
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Accidental Awakening | 2020-Present
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‘Leaving Winter’ Art Process
Leaving Winter, 12in x 12in • Mixed media painting, 2021 • Carly Swenson
Carly Swenson | Intuitive Painter 