🥞 from pancakes to proposals…
ISSUE #138
One of my favorite things about writing a weekly newsletter is that it lets me time travel. I can look back and see what I was making, loving, and thinking in any given week over the past few years. And when there are gaps or weeks I skipped, I often remember exactly why. The absences are their own kind of record.
Most of the time I feel unfocused. Scattered. Like I’m going from one half-baked idea to the next. But when I flip back through the archive (yes, literally – I print out my newsletters and keep them in a binder), I can see the patterns. The repetitions. The things that keep coming back around. And I’m usually surprised – not by how much has changed, but by how much has stayed the same. Especially in my ideas and interests.
In July 2023, I wrote about transforming a space in our basement into the last-standing, mini Kinko’s. This July, I’m drafting a proposal for a more intentional, artist-centered evolution of that same idea – bigger, bolder, and built to share. I introduced Zinestack in July 2024, put it on the back burner for a bit, and came back to it in January with better branding and a clearer vision. And in July 2022, I sent my very first weekly Makeist newsletter – a love letter to first pancakes and imperfect beginnings.
So this week, I’m pulling from the archives and revisiting what I was thinking and making during the first week of July in 2022, 2023, and 2024. First pancakes, basement print shops, scribbled logos – they all felt small at the time. But together, they’re not just ingredients. They’re starting to look like a recipe.
THINKING
FROM THE ARCHIVES | JULY 17, 2022
I’ve had pancakes on the brain, specifically first pancakes. You know – the first ones that come out okay, but not great. It’s okay that they’re just okay because they’re pancakes and even a not-perfect pancake is a good pancake (and better than no pancake at all). And you have faith that the second, third, and the rest of the batch will be better than the first – because that is the law of pancakes.
I’ve been applying the first pancake law to making art. I approach each new study and every new piece as if it were a first pancake. It doesn’t need to be perfect or great or even good. Because it’s only the first one.
And this newsletter? It’s a first pancake. It’s a new format and my first weekly newsletter. And I have faith that next week will be even better than the first.
2025 update: This is Issue #138. None of it would exist if I hadn’t taken that first messy, sticky step.
MAKING
FROM THE ARCHIVES | JULY 2, 2023
In 2005, we built out our basement and for 15 years it was Kitemath HQ. There’s a conference room/library space, small kitchenette, bathroom, and two offices. Over time, our business changed and we needed less and less space. Last year we both moved our workstations to the attic and combined them with the art studio. Since then the basement has been kind of a hodgepodge of storage, music making, and office leftovers. This week we finished organizing + purging the basement to transform it into its next iteration, which includes a Kinko’s in my old office.
Kinko’s holds a special place in my heart. Chris and I met in 1997 when we were both working at the Bloomington-Normal Kinko’s while in college (he was at Illinois State and I was enrolled at Illinois Wesleyan). This was a dream job for two graphic design majors, a playground for print, paper, and any design project you could think of.
We corralled all of the office equipment into one room to create a printing and project hub, complete with our Xerox color printer, spiral binder, 3D printer, paper cutter, and various other tools and supplies. For the finishing touch, I cut out the old Kinko’s logo from dark blue and red cardstock and installed the makeshift signage on the office door.
I feel a kinship with the last Blockbuster. I like to think this is last Kinko’s standing after FedEx officially retired the name in 2008. This location is open 24 hours, very conveniently located, and it’s staffed by the two people I trust to get a job done right.
2025 update: I’ve got something in the works; think high-end hipster Kinko’s vibes. 🤞
MAKING
FROM THE ARCHIVES | JULY 7, 2024
This past week, I have been making steady progress on
: a community and resource hub for Substack writers, artists, and creators who are interested in publishing zines and connecting with other zine makers. This is a project that I’ve been noodling and knocking around for a few months. I started with the branding of course; I always start with the branding 😉. I want the logo and visual identity design elements to convey the DIY, handmade, and tangible aspects of zines:The logo and logotype are handwritten in black Sharpie
Photographs are mocked-up in 3D, rather than flat
Additional 3D elements like buttons and pens are scattered about
Content dividers are hand-drawn and organic
Over the course of this month—to coincide with International Zine Month—I will be adding posts, videos, and more. If you’re a zine creator, a zine collector, or simply zine curious, stay tuned for more info!
2025 update: launched in January with a new logo and branding. Since then, it’s published over 20 posts and grown to 1K+ subscribers. Check it out.👇
