• Dear Friends, ⠀ ⠀ Some of you may know Kindled + Kindred was created first and foremost as a space which values and honors storytelling. However, over the past weeks as I engage in learning and unlearning, what has become painfully clear is that I have been complicit in upholding a system that contradicts the values on which K+K is founded. A system that centers the stories and comfort of those who look like me. A system that has been insidiously designed specifically to help me and those who look like me succeed on the backs of the black and brown community. ⠀ ⠀ My voice and the voices of other white women are not the ones that lead this movement; however, silence will never again be my answer. I believe wholeheartedly the responsibility of my voice is not to lead, but to amplify. That sitting in the discomfort of saying the wrong thing won’t kill me, but my silence and the silence of others who hold white privilege does every day.⠀ ⠀ As I re-imagine what being a creative business owner both means and looks like, I walk forward in the belief that this work— the work of doing better to be a co-conspirator against the system of white supremacy—lies first and foremost deeply within ourselves far away from the squares of social media. I stand with this community committed to showing up, educating myself, listening actively, engaging in conversation with my white friends, family, and peers, respecting the boundaries and space of the black women leading this movement, learning humbly, voting with my dollars, and using this business and platform to make space for the voices and stories that have been silenced for far, far too long. ⠀ ⠀ Yours in learning and unlearning,⠀ Erin⠀ ⠀ Note on Community Comments/DMs: Know that while I believe in the power of storytelling, open dialogue, and am deeply committed to engaging in conversations with those who share a vast array of viewpoints, there will be absolutely no tolerance for hateful rhetoric here— the humanity of others is not up for debate in this space.
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    Dear Friends, ⠀ ⠀ Some of you may know Kindled + Kindred was created first and foremost as a space which values and honors storytelling. However, over the past weeks as I engage in learning and unlearning, what has become painfully clear is that I have been complicit in upholding a system that contradicts the values on which K+K is founded. A system that centers the stories and comfort of those who look like me. A system that has been insidiously designed specifically to help me and those who look like me succeed on the backs of the black and brown community. ⠀ ⠀ My voice and the voices of other white women are not the ones that lead this movement; however, silence will never again be my answer. I believe wholeheartedly the responsibility of my voice is not to lead, but to amplify. That sitting in the discomfort of saying the wrong thing won’t kill me, but my silence and the silence of others who hold white privilege does every day.⠀ ⠀ As I re-imagine what being a creative business owner both means and looks like, I walk forward in the belief that this work— the work of doing better to be a co-conspirator against the system of white supremacy—lies first and foremost deeply within ourselves far away from the squares of social media. I stand with this community committed to showing up, educating myself, listening actively, engaging in conversation with my white friends, family, and peers, respecting the boundaries and space of the black women leading this movement, learning humbly, voting with my dollars, and using this business and platform to make space for the voices and stories that have been silenced for far, far too long. ⠀ ⠀ Yours in learning and unlearning,⠀ Erin⠀ ⠀ Note on Community Comments/DMs: Know that while I believe in the power of storytelling, open dialogue, and am deeply committed to engaging in conversations with those who share a vast array of viewpoints, there will be absolutely no tolerance for hateful rhetoric here— the humanity of others is not up for debate in this space.
  • Friends, it’s with a full heart I’m beyond excited to announce that my immensely talented client and friend, @alexmari_ , is launching her new brand identity out into the world today.⠀ ⠀ When I first spoke with Alex last fall, the leaves were fading quickly and the days were growing darker, but as we strategized, wrote, crafted, collaborated, and brought her new brand identity to life through the winter months, her art, her work, her project, and who she IS was and continues to be a source of light in this world.⠀ ⠀ Because the truth is, while I could spend days upon days gushing over Alex’s imagery and the art she creates (something I truly did daily while working on our project), what struck me the most about Alex was the way she truly embodies the soul of her craft— she not only captures stories, she lives them. From the way she approaches creative work, to how she puts her whole heart into thinking of every last detail for her clients and community, to how she speaks and writes, to the playlist that had me dreaming of driving down the California coast with the wind in my hair, Alex invites us to see the beauty of this world reflected through her eyes and lens.⠀ ⠀ So my friends, you can trust me when I say this launch isn’t one you’re going to want to miss. To experience Alex Mari Photography’s the full brand, head over to alexmariphotography.com and be sure to leave your kind words over at @alexmari_ while you tune in for the amazing lineup of launch day celebrations she has going on all day! ⠀ ⠀ As always, your support means so much— let’s lift our creative community up today and celebrate together!
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    Friends, it’s with a full heart I’m beyond excited to announce that my immensely talented client and friend, @alexmari_ , is launching her new brand identity out into the world today.⠀ ⠀ When I first spoke with Alex last fall, the leaves were fading quickly and the days were growing darker, but as we strategized, wrote, crafted, collaborated, and brought her new brand identity to life through the winter months, her art, her work, her project, and who she IS was and continues to be a source of light in this world.⠀ ⠀ Because the truth is, while I could spend days upon days gushing over Alex’s imagery and the art she creates (something I truly did daily while working on our project), what struck me the most about Alex was the way she truly embodies the soul of her craft— she not only captures stories, she lives them. From the way she approaches creative work, to how she puts her whole heart into thinking of every last detail for her clients and community, to how she speaks and writes, to the playlist that had me dreaming of driving down the California coast with the wind in my hair, Alex invites us to see the beauty of this world reflected through her eyes and lens.⠀ ⠀ So my friends, you can trust me when I say this launch isn’t one you’re going to want to miss. To experience Alex Mari Photography’s the full brand, head over to alexmariphotography.com and be sure to leave your kind words over at @alexmari_ while you tune in for the amazing lineup of launch day celebrations she has going on all day! ⠀ ⠀ As always, your support means so much— let’s lift our creative community up today and celebrate together!
  • Friends, as I’ve been taking some intentional time away from this space lately to focus on work, writing, and life, there’s been so much coming up I’m both excited and nervous to bring into the world in this season of life and business— a tried and true knowing for me I’ve come to deeply trust telling me I’m on the right path. Keep exploring. Stay open. ⠀ ⠀ And with that I’ve been finding myself starting a lot of sentences with what you see above, “It’s okay.” Right here, as I am, all day long, just giving myself permission to feel all the things and do the work and approach it all with a gentleness I normally only reserve for others. ⠀ ⠀ So, my dear creatives, here’s a few gentle reminders from my journal to your screen in the hopes they remind you that there’s no right or wrong way to run a creative business or show up in this work, there’s only the way that’s true and beautiful for you— and there will always be space for that way here.
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    Friends, as I’ve been taking some intentional time away from this space lately to focus on work, writing, and life, there’s been so much coming up I’m both excited and nervous to bring into the world in this season of life and business— a tried and true knowing for me I’ve come to deeply trust telling me I’m on the right path. Keep exploring. Stay open. ⠀ ⠀ And with that I’ve been finding myself starting a lot of sentences with what you see above, “It’s okay.” Right here, as I am, all day long, just giving myself permission to feel all the things and do the work and approach it all with a gentleness I normally only reserve for others. ⠀ ⠀ So, my dear creatives, here’s a few gentle reminders from my journal to your screen in the hopes they remind you that there’s no right or wrong way to run a creative business or show up in this work, there’s only the way that’s true and beautiful for you— and there will always be space for that way here.
  • Life lessons from mixed typography: often times the most beautiful things are multifaceted. And dear creative, I hope today you know that means you you. See, you were never meant to fit all that you are into one box. Because the truth is...⠀ ⠀ You can care deeply about others AND put yourself first. ⠀ ⠀ You can use your talents to serve others AND be true to who you are by doing so in alignment with your values. ⠀ ⠀ You can want validation for the hard work you’re doing AND be rooted deeply in the knowledge that you are and always will be enough. ⠀ ⠀ You can be inspired AND exhausted. ⠀ ⠀ You can be confident AND anxious.⠀ ⠀ You can want success for yourself (however you define it) AND invest energy in uplifting others and supporting the success of your community. ⠀ ⠀ Double tap if you’re in for showing up as every part of who you are and hop below and tag a creative friend who might need this reminder today too. 💛
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    Life lessons from mixed typography: often times the most beautiful things are multifaceted. And dear creative, I hope today you know that means you you. See, you were never meant to fit all that you are into one box. Because the truth is...⠀ ⠀ You can care deeply about others AND put yourself first. ⠀ ⠀ You can use your talents to serve others AND be true to who you are by doing so in alignment with your values. ⠀ ⠀ You can want validation for the hard work you’re doing AND be rooted deeply in the knowledge that you are and always will be enough. ⠀ ⠀ You can be inspired AND exhausted. ⠀ ⠀ You can be confident AND anxious.⠀ ⠀ You can want success for yourself (however you define it) AND invest energy in uplifting others and supporting the success of your community. ⠀ ⠀ Double tap if you’re in for showing up as every part of who you are and hop below and tag a creative friend who might need this reminder today too. 💛
  • How we’re starting our Monday after a weekend filled with secluded Lake Superior hikes, picnics of local to-go goodies (I’m lookin at you wild rice burgers and sweet potato fries), too much coffee, and the happiest, muddiest, golden retriever you’ve ever seen. ⠀ ⠀ How are you starting your week? 💛
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    How we’re starting our Monday after a weekend filled with secluded Lake Superior hikes, picnics of local to-go goodies (I’m lookin at you wild rice burgers and sweet potato fries), too much coffee, and the happiest, muddiest, golden retriever you’ve ever seen. ⠀ ⠀ How are you starting your week? 💛
  • I think one of the most damaging misconceptions we hold as humans is that an artful life is only accessible to people who do certain kind of work, look a certain way, live in a certain area, are a certain age, or have built a certain kind of idillic lifestyle. ⠀ ⠀ I believe artful living at its core isn’t about physical art at all, but about a capacity to find beauty and the curiosity to engage with it. But here’s the thing I’ve come to know about finding beauty: you have to go where it can find you too. (Because I don’t know about you, but beauty doesn’t often find me doing my taxes or scrolling on social media.) So above you can find a list of the practices that put me in the way of beauty— where I know if I engage in them and stay still enough for long enough, beautiful things and ideas come to be known and an artful life is lived one seemingly ordinary moment at a time.⠀ ⠀ So friends, I encourage you to make your own lists today. To close your eyes and imagine what the most beautiful day, work, and life you can imagine looks like and feels like. Write it down. Read it daily. Keep an open heart and scribble out things with joy that no longer speak to you. Share it with others or keep it just for yourself. Get out there and soak up all the beautiful moments, people, and things you can. Because that’s the greatest gift of an artful beautiful life isn’t it— the chance to hold it close and give it away all in the same breath.
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    I think one of the most damaging misconceptions we hold as humans is that an artful life is only accessible to people who do certain kind of work, look a certain way, live in a certain area, are a certain age, or have built a certain kind of idillic lifestyle. ⠀ ⠀ I believe artful living at its core isn’t about physical art at all, but about a capacity to find beauty and the curiosity to engage with it. But here’s the thing I’ve come to know about finding beauty: you have to go where it can find you too. (Because I don’t know about you, but beauty doesn’t often find me doing my taxes or scrolling on social media.) So above you can find a list of the practices that put me in the way of beauty— where I know if I engage in them and stay still enough for long enough, beautiful things and ideas come to be known and an artful life is lived one seemingly ordinary moment at a time.⠀ ⠀ So friends, I encourage you to make your own lists today. To close your eyes and imagine what the most beautiful day, work, and life you can imagine looks like and feels like. Write it down. Read it daily. Keep an open heart and scribble out things with joy that no longer speak to you. Share it with others or keep it just for yourself. Get out there and soak up all the beautiful moments, people, and things you can. Because that’s the greatest gift of an artful beautiful life isn’t it— the chance to hold it close and give it away all in the same breath.