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Third time's the charm
On changing the name of this email, its subject matter, and where I find inspiration
Allie Lehman
September 29, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
Offline Recess is a newsletter that invites you to pause from digital distractions and rediscover the joy of finding inspiration on your own terms, away from the algorithm.
Quick Note Since starting this newsletter in December 2019, I’ve changed its name twice (well three times now). The first two names were reflective of the focus: write whatever I wanted to write about. But I didn’t really know what that was. I was able to get personal—writing about the pandemic, grief, business, burnout, and art. I shared a lot of links to things I bought, things I wanted to buy, and avoided affiliate links. I linked to recipes that were trending, fun websites, and media I had consumed.
And then I grew tired of that format. It was a slow burn. I started to notice that every single newsletter that I subscribed to seemed to be re-sharing all of the same stuff. And, in turn, that’s where I discovered “new” things and re-shared them with you. I started to see a hazy layer of (my version of) mediocrity closing in on me, obscuring my vision. It’s why I decided to step back from publishing back in August. I needed to let the fog clear, offline. I took a little recess.
When the fog cleared, the view delighted me. It took almost two months to narrow in on what I wanted to spend my time consuming and sharing. And Offline Recess was born. I hope you enjoy it. What you’ll find below is my vision for it! I can guarantee it will evolve like anything tends to do. As always, thanks for being here.
Rabbit Hole
finding inspiration offline and all the paths it takes me
I’ve had the book In the Studio: Artists of the 20th Century In Private and at Work for awhile. I pulled from my bookshelf recently and started to read through it. I always wonder if people read coffee table books or cookbooks like they do novels. I wonder because I often don’t! I buy them because they’re beautiful and because I’m optimistic about the idea of me reading them. Instead of being optimistic, I realized I can become someone who actually does it. So here is the rabbit hole that I dove down, starting with this book.
Most of these artists’ studios are messy. I had two thoughts. To create a private mess is a luxury. I’m painting out of my dining room right now which is a shared space. The other thought centers around the fact that we’re constantly trying to achieve a working or living space that’s minimal and clean. The space itself is meant to be marketable and inspirational — complete and styled apart from the art. These photos feel like the opposite.
Photos I snapped of the book
The caption reads “he has obviously forgotten that the photographer is there”
The book then features French painter Pierre Soulages. His work is beautiful and I really enjoyed the interview published in the book.
At one point, he decided to only paint with black paint. “When light is reflected on black, it transforms and transmutes it. It opens a mental field all its own.”
In the interview (which was conducted in 1992), he’s asked about achievement, influences, his life mission and paths, and how he creates. I loved these two quotes particularly:
“I am not unhappy that my work is admired by so many people; it means that I haven’t wasted my time. But does it make me happy? The worst kind of school is that of one’s own work…however famous you are, you must always question what you do.”
“I never know what I’m going to do. I find out as I work…or not. The inspiration behind a painting is something very deeply, very difficult to identify. In any case, I always walk around the studio, where everything has to be just so. I pace up and down before I pick up a brush. Then, when I’ve finished a painting, I turn it to face the wall. I put it in quarantine. After that, if I can withstand three of four inspections, I keep it. If not, I burn it.”
Imaginary Museum
a collection of essentials or favorites I might gather in an ideal museum
Returning to Fiona Apple’s discography this fall. Forever inspired by the fact that she named her 2012 album: The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do.
And this illustration:
Just stuff I think about
Happen Upon
things I discover offline, usually because of people with great taste
Silverlines by Damiano David. This song was recommended to me by one of my best friends. There’s something about this song that feels cinematic, or perhaps a soundtrack to a book. It’s the same feeling that I got while listening to Billie Eilish’s new album.
My friend Derek brought out this beautiful book about Bjork that he had recently acquired. It’s technically 5 booklets inside of a hard, glossy outer box.
I decided to go into a Warby Parker and try on glasses (instead of trying to guess what I like online). I ended up getting these blue frames which I love and will be delivered tomorrow.
PS I recently moved this newsletter from ConvertKit to Beehiiv and so if this feels a little different, that’s why! I moved for a few reasons:
ConvertKit is re-branding and they are now offering a free plan for people with fewer than 10,000 subscribers but they won’t downgrade me as a paid customer. I spend $79/mo for this newsletter to exist and I don’t make money from it! So I decided to leave.
Beehiiv is a company that I’ve had my eye on for awhile. Their plans are more affordable and they make everything so easy. As a customer, it’s easy to create a microsite housing all of your newsletters like Substack does. ConvertKit does this but they make it difficult to figure out how (in my opinion). I love trying out new SaaS companies just to understand the potential, how it works, and then talk to my clients about it.
To add to that, Beehiiv also makes the formatting of each email extremely dynamic. As a web designer, I like having control over more of how the content looks. And I hope to share more visual-heavy content in my emails
This is not sponsored! I don’t know them!
PPS: If you have any analog, printed, and offline suggestions, don’t hesitate to hit “reply” and share!
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