visual diary no.1
here's to discovering new formats for self-expression that feel good in the body
“When you have written a piece, it is nice to leave it in the drawer for some time (some of mine wait up to a year from the time I write them until I publish). This way, the draft becomes like a magnet that attracts further thoughts about the topic, and you get a richer and richer understanding. As soon as I publish, I feel like I turn off the magnet and the piece stops sucking in more insight from my life. Another metaphor I use is that my drafts are rooms I go to when I want to think, and when I publish I throw away the key. Keep the key for a while.”
– Henrik Karlsson, writer of Escaping Flatland (one of my fave Substacks)
I am in the marination stage. I am carrying my unfolding thoughts around with me like the canvas bag that is always on my shoulder and the fanny pack that is always across my chest. Weekly self expression here has felt so fulfilling, but to rush a piece at this time would lead to burnout and I’m proud of myself for realizing that and honoring that because in the past I would’ve trudged through and wondered why after 3 months of posting I was so tuckered out on writing, this thing I knew I loved. Rather than rush an essay during this time, you simply pause and get creative as you ponder, is there an alternative format that could support my desire for weekly self expression whilst honoring the stage of my creative process?
And so the idea of sharing a visual diary came to me. Novels are lovely but so are picture books. I hope you enjoy this refreshing pause from long-form words as much as I am.
I’m still figuring out the name of new guitar, which was sent for FREE from Fender, can you believe it. I even got to pick out her beautiful Kerry Gold butter yellow color. She is so similar to my previous guitar, Lux (named after The Virgin Suicides, of course), who was all white with the same maple fingerboard. I got Lux when I was 9 years old and played Blackbird on her during my 7th grade talent show as one does (for it is a right of passage). But my new guitar is also different. She so perfectly honors the past whilst ushering in a new chapter.
Cooking dinner for your best friends and switching off hosting is another form of heaven on earth. It’s extra special when you have been besties since you were 9 years old and have grown this way and that but have somehow always remained inseparable whilst still expanding into your own separate, distinct forms. I don’t know what I did in my past lifetimes to get this lovely karma but whatever it is, I am so grateful.
I printed my Artist’s Way flyers to post around west LA at my brother’s office and he told me he “respected the hustle,” which made me smile because in that moment I remembered that we are both SUCH Capricorn risings and while we are incredibly different people, we overlap in our passion and our intense drive to build something lasting. He hustles for tech and I hustle for art. He gave me a tea thermos two Christmases ago that said “unhustle” because he knows I love that laidback lifestyle and it was perfect then but since our chat I scratched off the “un” because I realized I fucking love to hustle for the things I love and believe in because it gives me energy. Just like my Artist’s Way group, which you should def join.
Neighborly things, like the bag of freshly-picked tangerines my sweet Airbnb host left me and the bag of rubber stamps I found on the sidewalk, give me such a deep sense of community. I let the tangerine juice run down my chin as I ate them because it felt cinematic but then very sticky. I stamped all the stamps in my journal, including one that was very clearly the donors’ last name, which felt like I was saying thanks to them from afar.
I then got home one night and saw this bright moving streak in the sky and asked this dude across the way what was going on (it was a Spacex launch, booooo). We ended up chatting for 45 minutes and exchanged Instagrams. As he was saying his last name, I burst into a cackle. It was the exact one I had stamped in my journal. They were his stamps! We laughed so hard about it and he said, “wow, that’s life.” And I couldn’t have agreed more.
Signs, or winks from the invisible. Looking up randomly at a home and seeing 1106, our Palisadian house number, reminding me that true home is our interiors.
Pulling the water dragon card 4 TIMES now (my dad also pulled it) which essentially reminds you to feel the depth of the things that scare you most, even if you feel overwhelmed with emotion––they’re a portal to deeper stability within.
Lots of spider medicine (including me mustering up the courage to gently touch their little legs every now and then) which calls you to get creating again and to remember that we are weaving our own fates, right here, right now.
Finding humor in it all. Our house burned down but our mail fuckin made it. As did the small street library on the block behind us holding the books, ‘One Damn Thing After Another’ and ‘What Happened At Midnight.’
Left: My old stuffies (Ginger, Mr. Bunny, Kimberly) + blanket (Bee).
Right: My new stuffies (Bun and Fern) + new blanket (still Bee).
Fern is accidentally the size of Mr. Bunny and Bun is accidentally the size of Ginger and Kimberly and that feels so perfect to me.
Love,
Kris xo
Last Chance to Join The Artist’s Way – Together! 3 spots left!
VIRTUAL GROUP COURSE
February 18 – May 20, 2025
Tuesdays at 5:30–7:00PM PT
Counting down the days until my Artist’s Way group starts next Tuesday the 18th! Weeee! I am truly so excited at how the group has shaped up and how supportive it will be to reconnect to our creativity together. We will be meeting weekly and moving through this iconic, self-led course together. To learn more about The Artist’s Way and what the group entails, check out my notion page here.
I have 3 spots left and registration ends on Sunday the 16th at midnight PT! If this feels like something that your soul perks its ears up at, I encourage you to join. The last time I did it, it completely transformed my life (I moved back to LA, realized I was a writer, started sharing my writing, quit drinking, etc.) and I deeply believe that this journey is meant to find you when you are ready.
If you have any questions or want to talk through your decision, feel free to DM me via Instagram or email me. Happy to chat! :)
When we nurture our creativity, we nurture ourselves. Here’s to doing it together!
xo