Urszula Janoszuk-Giergiel

May we recognise what is seeking us and although we are scattered across a lifetime, remember that much beauty in life comes from the experiences we have as we collect ourselves along the way.

Personal taste intuits what we have to learn about ourselves

There is nothing trivial about our favourite colours, outfits, paintings, bands, cities or humans. They are all lessons of recognition that if taken seriously, tell us about ourselves in the present and future.

Because there is much ‘unconscious’ self-knowledge to be gathered, our personal... See more

Writing is a method of paying attention to the experience of being alive. More than just putting words on the page, it is about engaging with the world in an attuned, open, and curious way. Whether it’s writing essays, painting, dancing, or cooking — it’s all variations of the same act: A way to show your work as you figure out how to be alive.

And don’t concern yourself with whether or not you “write.” Don’t leave writing to writers. Don’t delegate your area of interest and knowledge to people with stronger rhetorical resources. You’ll find your voice as you make your way. There is, however, one thing to learn from writers that non-writers don’t always understand. Most writers don’t... See more

Pay no attention to the man behind the podium. Just share what’s of importance to you. And don’t look at pageviews. Don’t seek claps. Don’t chase reposts. Don’t covet trackbacks. Seek the unique pleasure of having shared something you feel is worth sharing. And the conversations that sort of writing (that sort of blogging) encourages. And yes, it... See more

If you garden, blog it (please). If you have a pet monkey, blog it. If you are the repository of some dwindling or otherwise threatened culture, blog it. If you harbor considered thoughts about your profession, blog it. I think back to blogs I’ve encouraged friends and colleagues to start over the years: on gardening, relocations, engineering,... See more

Every time I start a new post, I never know for sure where it’s going to go. This is what writing and making art is all about: not having something to say, but finding out what you have to say. It’s thinking on the page or the screen or in whatever materials you manipulate. Blogging has taught me to embrace this kind of not-knowing in my other art... See more

An insufficiency in the self, the need to be a snail, leaving a trail of yourself as you move through the world. Hansel, leaving a trail of crumbs to lead you home.

One little blog post is nothing on its own, but publish a thousand blog posts over a decade, and it turns into your life’s work. This blog has been my sketchbook, my studio, my gallery, my storefront, and my salon. Absolutely everything good that has happened in my career can be traced back in some way to this blog. My books, my art shows, my... See more