Whew, hello.
Even though I’ve needed some serious recoup time since we’ve returned from the book tour (read more about my state of mind lately here), I’m excited to talk about all things summer here and on Artists for Joy Podcast.1 It has been one of the best summers in recent memory. We traveled thousands of miles as a family—and without a stroller, I might add— for the first time in eight years! That alone was a massive milestone, iykyk.
I got to see so many of you in real life, hold your sticky-note-clad copies of my books, sign them, and hug you. It was just magical. (Also, yes, I did wear the same shade of pink to almost all the events!)
Along the way, I ate crab cakes, ice cream, and one low-country boil (an awesome South Carolina dish with shrimp, potatoes, and fresh corn). I managed to maintain my strength training by visiting a grand total of 11 gyms across our six-week tour, using guest passes and tagging along with family. I felt strong, got plenty of sleep, swam in oceans, lakes, and pools, and we sold all but about ten of the handmade ceramic mugs we ordered for the launch!
Labor Day was earlier this week, marking the unofficial end of the season. But the equinox is still a few weeks away, so technically, I am right on time: it is still summer! (Stay with me!)
Before we dive into the list of what’s bringing me joy, I wanted to share that our Artists for Joy Patreon got a major glow-up! I spent a lot of time this summer brainstorming ways to support creatives in accessible, cost-effective ways. We now have three tiers and a bunch of new offerings, including a Wednesday morning co-working hour, Tuesday Voxer office hours for mini-coaching, group coaching calls, discounts on 1-on-1 sessions, free audio bundles, and more.
Tomorrow is our monthly meet-up, our CRAFT Goals workshop. You can join live or catch the recording here for a full tour of the new tiers.
Now, onto the list—a mix of the lighthearted, the slightly profound, and a big announcement about what’s next.
1. The Merit Minimalist Stick
Let’s get the surface-level stuff out of the way first. I don’t even like calling this makeup because it doesn’t feel like it. I got this recommendation from my friend Kendra Adachi (The Lazy Genius), and it truly lives up to the hype.
It’s a lightweight concealer/foundation stick that makes your skin look balanced and fresh without feeling cakey or heavy. I just dab a little around my eyes, nose, and any spots of redness, blend it with a brush, and it stays all day.
Pro Tip: If you buy it, go into Sephora and ask them to use their shade-matching technology. I would have picked the completely wrong shade on my own, but they found my exact match!
2. Old Navy Snug Cropped Tank Top
Don’t judge me, but who actually knows how to wear clothes these days? High-rise mom jeans are great, but dealing with all that extra fabric to tuck in—or wearing cropped shirts that reveal your midriff every time you raise your arm—is exhausting.
Allow me to introduce: the perfect summer tank. It has a higher neckline, ribbed fabric, and hits at just the right length. It feels contained, flattering, and looks great under a blazer, with white pants, or tucked into a skirt. I bought it in over six colors and plan to use them as layering pieces throughout autumn and winter. They are currently on sale! Get them while you can!
Link: Old Navy Snug Cropped Tank Top
3. Professional Blowouts on the Road
Makeup and clothes might seem trivial, but feeling comfortable in your own skin… well, it matters. So instead of fighting the humidity and hot hair tools, I decided to set aside a little budget to get my hair blown out while on the road. It was a total game-changer.
With very long, thick hair, trying to style it takes forever—and, let’s be honest, it usually falls flat within an hour. Booking a quick blowout in the towns where I had speaking events meant I could sit back, let someone else care for me, and rely on dry shampoo to stretch out the style for almost a week. It was a small luxury that brought so much peace during a hectic travel schedule.
Before and after the best blowout of the summer… in Ohio!
4. The Acoustics at the Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg, Germany)
At the start of the summer, I took a detour to Hamburg with the Chamber Orchestra of New York—an ensemble I’ve played oboe and English horn with for 15 years. It was our very first European tour!
We performed at the “Elphi,” a concert hall built in 2017 that sits right on an island in the harbor of the Elbe River. The architecture alone is incredible: a glass wave structure perched atop a 1960s brick cocoa warehouse, complete with the world’s largest curved escalator.
Inside, the stage sits in the center with steep, terraced balcony seating rising all around it. No audience member is more than 100 feet from the conductor, apparently. And. the. acoustics. were. unbelievable. It was easily the finest hall I’ve ever had the privilege to play in.
During our dress rehearsal, I looked down at the wooden stage floor and noticed thousands of tiny indentations left by cellists’ endpins over the years. Looking at those little marks, it struck me that they looked just like constellations in a galaxy. It was a moment of pure micro- and macro-wonder.
Link: Learn more about the Elbphilharmonie
5. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies
If you’ve seen the cover art for my new book, Art Is How God Loves Us, you might know that at the bottom of the original 18th-century painting by Jan Davidsz. de Heem, there is a small yellow butterfly, a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly to be exact.
During the cover design process, the designers initially removed the butterfly to make my name easier to read. I hesitated to ask them to put it back—am I being a nuisance?? I worried—but when I asked my husband Edwin, he texted back five words that stuck with me: “New life, worth fighting for.” (You can read the full essay about that moment here.)
Wouldn’t you know, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, the exact butterfly from the cover, followed me everywhere this summer. One circled us while we were walking in a park in Delaware; I saw them fluttering past on the interstate (THE INTERSTATE!!!); and when we got home to Michigan, they were suddenly floating through our yard daily.
Seeing that creation travel through centuries of art and land directly in front of me felt like a gentle reminder of God’s persistent, playful love.
6. Taking My Own Advice: Listening to the Work
As an artist and coach, I often talk about how tricky it can be when you start making a living from your creative work. It’s easy to let the audience, the critics, or your past successes subtly dictate what you make next. You start “painting landscapes” because you know landscapes sell, even if your soul is longing to try something new.
In Art Is How God Loves Us, I wrote that listening is the work.
This summer, after some deep soul rest, I realized that when I listened to what wanted to be created next, I needed more time and energy than I currently had. I knew that it was time for me to stop “painting landscapes” in the exact same way. I had new creative ideas bubbling up, but I didn’t have the bandwidth to spin every existing plate while adding something new.
So, I’m taking my own advice.
I’ve decided to put the Artists for Joy podcast on a seasonal sabbatical to give myself room to step through a new threshold. In its place, I am launching a brand-new show called Art’s Open Door—a space where we’ll name and notice beauty and explore what it means to live a slow, imperfect, human life.
The trailer for Art’s Open Door is live right now!
Introducing Art’s Open Door Podcast ✨
If you’ve been reading Art’s Open Door here on Substack, you know this space has always been about making room for the sacred, slow, and human parts of our lives. Today, I’m so excited to open that door just a little wider and introduce a brand new way for us to continue the conversation:
For those of you who have been listening to Artists for Joy since 2020, and every download since, THANK YOU. I am keeping the door to Artists for Joy cracked open, and I’ll be sharing a full roadmap and more details about this transition in our season 6 finale, which will go live next Friday. So watch your favorite podcast feed for more details.
A reminder for anyone who needs to hear it:
You can’t perform your way to peace or worthiness.
You don’t need to prove your value through restless hustling.
Take a deep breath today and listen. Let yourself be led.
Pay attention to something small and beautiful, something right under your feet, and remember: the most important work of art you will ever make is the person you are becoming.
What’s been bringing you joy this season, big or small? I’d love to hear in the comments!
By the way, you can listen to this post via the audio file right here in Substack or search Artists for Joy in your favorite podcast app!