Introducing: Print Club
Become paying subscriber —> receive art in mail
Welcome to Art Life Balance, a twice-monthly newsletter about media, culture, and the creative process. Thanks for stopping by!
How do you do, fellow ‘Stackers?
In recent months you’ve seen me brainstorm ways to subvert social media, analyze Frankenstein’s take on wellness, gripe about AI, and gratuitously quote Neil Postman. You’ve been with me through my first zine, first “too-long-for-email” newsletter, and first three-page comic about an animated paper clip. You’ve enjoyed my magazine-clipping collages and tolerated my hot take on a 20-year-old children’s movie about CGI penguins.
In other words, we’ve been through a lot together, dear reader. So you can’t claim you didn’t see this coming.
I’m starting a print club for paying subscribers.
If you visit this corner of the internet often, you already know I’m frustrated by the modern media landscape: Digital affinity-groups supplanting IRL community, tech evangelists trying to shoehorn data-siphoning services into every facet of our lives, the steady disintegration of solitude, contemplation, and attention. In this environment, I worry about the future of critical thinking, art, relationships, and humanity itself!
At the same time, I’ve made some authentic connections on this platform that challenge the notion that the internet only unravels, and never repairs, social fabric. I’ve been pleasantly surprised, for instance, by the depth of thought I find in Notes comment-threads (notwithstanding one Emma Horsedick), inspired by the creative projects of artists I follow, and moved by the generosity of people who’ve taken the time to engage with my ideas.
Success isn’t all about the numbers (and by many standards mine are low), but I’m blown away by the fact that more than 1,000 people read, or at least opened, something I wrote last month. And I’m not talking about 280-character breaking news commentary: I’m talking about long-form writing about mindfulness, media literacy, and the creative process. This is not (self-evidently) thrilling stuff, people! That there’s any audience for this is pretty exciting to me.
On top of that, I’ve seen trends take off here that aim to bridge the gap between favorite-farming and honest-to-goodness community.
The renewed interest in zines is the perfect example. Who would have thought a digital platform would ignite enthusiasm for a print medium, sparking collaborative projects and get-togethers? (not me.) I’ve also seen creators offer courses, organize meetups, and share physical work that has texture and presence. Artists like
, , and come to mind: They and others like them are bringing positive creative energy to this platform and, for lack of a better phrase, making the internet a better place.In my own small way, I’d like to contribute to that effort.
Let’s be print pals!
What’s in it for me? I see this as an opportunity to put my creative skills toward a connective purpose, giving time and intention to physical media at a time when digital is the default.
What’s in it for you: Receiving quarterly art gifts in the mail!
What you’ll receive: Print Club mailings can range from art prints to buttons to sticker packs to notepads to zines to postcards to refrigerator magnets to … well, you get the idea. Basically anything that can be printed and fit into a ~6x9 envelope is fair game (All the news that’s print to fit!).
By paying for a subscription, you will also receive quarterly “Mood Board” posts in your email inbox (more information on that in the next section).
For more examples of my art style and for a sense of the sorts of images that might make their way to your mailbox, I cordially invite you to visit my website: TaliaBarnes.com.
Frequency of mailings: You can expect to receive a print (or prints) in the mail four times a year: Once in winter, spring, summer, and fall. The first one will go out this summer.
Who can join? For the sake of simplicity (and my wallet), I’m currently limiting this to people who live in the United States, but I’m open to expanding it in the future.
How to join:
Become a paid subscriber for $5/month or $50/year.
Complete ✨ this Google form ✨ with your name and address. I will not share this information.
What’s Mood Board?
I want to provide something special to subscribers who’d like to pay for Art Life Balance but don’t live in the U.S. or aren’t comfortable sharing their address. That’s why, if you become a paying subscriber, whether or not you join Print Club, you will receive this quarterly newsletter in your inbox.
Think of it as a virtual bulletin-board reminiscent of the days of blasting music in your childhood bedroom while transcribing inspirational quotes in big bubble letters in your secret journal (not sure how universal of an experience that is but there ya go).
I envision this as more of an evolving art project than a traditional newsletter, with inspiration gathered from an eclectic array of sources. Screenshots of insightful Notes and photos of paragraphs from philosophy books will be equally at home here. Playlists for “That tiny sliver of time between winter and spring,” sketchbook spreads, links to thought-provoking articles, and lists of creative ideas never realized might live here too. Depending on interest and engagement, maybe there will even be opportunities to collaborate and brainstorm together.
In a nutshell, Mood Board will be a window into my process and — hopefully — a source of inspiration for your own creative pursuits.
Crafting the counterculture
Can the online world exist in harmony with the physical world, complementing instead of undermining it?
It’s a question I think about often. And it’s part of what drives my interest in taking this newsletter to the next level. A half-answer: I’m not sure if a middle way is possible, but if it is, this platform is a better place than most for exploring it. There’s an undeniable “early internet” energy here, and for as long as that lasts, I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
That’s why, whether or not you decide to join Print Club, I’m looking forward to sharing more art and essays on Substack free of charge (and by the looks of my Drafts folder, there’s a lot more on the horizon). Attention is a scarce resource, and I’m grateful — whether by inbox or mailbox, online or on line at the grocery store — you choose to direct any amount of yours this way.
Thank you for reading Art Life Balance.
If you have thoughts about this post, I’d love to know. Sound off in the comments!
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If you enjoy this newsletter and would like to others to find it, please ♥, share, and subscribe!
Even better, consider becoming a paid subscriber. At this tier, you can join Print Club and receive quarterly art gifts in the mail. You’ll also have access to Mood Board, a quarterly collage-style newsletter.
You're such an inspiration, Talia!
👏👏👏