šThe good news issue
An edition meant to spark that feeling of good news and positive thoughts into your day.
š Dear creative. How are you doing today?
We need good news as a flood!
I do not know about you, but every time I watch the news, it feels more chaotic, brutal, and inhumane. Tension and a lack of care are spreading in the world, which we are tenants of. People are suffering, fighting for their lives, both physically and metaphorically. Human identity is being pushed, threatened, and too often abused or misused in the service of agendas.
As a creative, with my own battles and emotional healing, this accumulation of news only amplifies an eye-opening truth: power, in the hands of certain people, forces, companies, and beyond, does not serve the whole, the human collective. We need to rewrite what humanity stands for into a human manifesto that can truly move the needle on rights and respect. A utopia, perhaps. Can we, as humans, really unite around a shared vision for a humane society? For countries, localities, and even individuals, it often feels like a losing game. Small groups are fighting and nurturing change through softer forms of power, yet the collective is still far from functioning as it should, as the creatures we are meant to be, caring for one another and for the ecosystem, the land, the Earth we were gifted with.
One love, one heart, one destiny.
Robert "Bob" Nesta Marley
I do not have answers to solve such a vast paradigm. What I want today is simply to help lift our heads, bring some warmth back into our faces, and perhaps spark a little love for craft. And for those who fight through their art and work to make today a better day for themselves and for others. Thank you. They give us pause, and in that pause, we are reminded that being human still has value and importance.
šSome good news:
āļø 4 Year Anniversary on Substack
Itās kind of crazy, itās been 4 years since I started writing on Substack, though it hardly feels that long. 3 newsletters, more than 320 published posts, and just as many drafts waiting to be tackled. There is much to say, write, and exercise as voice, style, energy, and intention. Iām grateful Iāve stayed consistent, especially with a mindful rhythm: posting weekly, sometimes every other week, sometimes pausing for longer stretches. No matter who opens, reads, or replies, I still feel that spark and joy of crafting a message and an experience each time I hit publish. My mantra: It feels right, it is good to go.
I often think about the early days on the platform, the bubbling writers community, and the early readers who, over time, became pals and even friends from afar. Many things have evolved, and even as I still figure things out, this space remains a playground to test, be surprised, and build meaningful bonds. So thank you to all of you who have been here since day one, and to those who hopped on along the way. Thank you as well!
āļø Talking about a Manifesto
Bonus good news. I updated my very short 30-page workbook after a former client asked for it again. It encouraged me to revisit this small book and even start planning an upgraded version once the YCL book is finished. If you need to revise your manifesto or start fresh, you can purchase it here.
ā Grab some tea or coffee, and letās go!
Oh! Artist: An uplifting trio.
Creative awe.
Smile at that news: the cutest.
ā¦ Did you miss the last post? Glimpses, teasers of the bookā¦
šØ 3 artists spreading some goodā¦ news
ā¦ HervĆ© Tullet
HervĆ© Tulletās work has been appearing in my feed through interviews and excerpts from his childrenās books. Adored by children for his childlike style, he has built a world of color, organic strokes, and forms that remind us of the playful child and unlimited imagination. His work breathes freedom and brings the good news of playing again like a child. He was able to create both a world and commercial success from his colorful scribbles, taking them from paper to immersive spaces, and extending them through performance and collaboration. A true masterclass in creating from what feels like home, owning a visual language, and turning it into a movement.
From the visions of my childhood to my vision of the child, today and tomorrow, āThe Childā is a book conceived as a journey, a way to share past, present, and future, and those dots, marks, lines, and scribbles that accompany me every day.
Herve Tullet
LāEnfant, HervĆ© Tullet. Ćditions Robert Laffont.
ā¦ Alberto Montt
I just discovered this comic artist/illustrator and his body of work that sparks humor and second-degree insight into human endeavors. He will be exhibiting in Paris at Artivistas next month, and, as the exhibition's title states, it is āāsauve qui peutāā, shedding light on bucolic environments while highlighting the inbetweens and their darkness through a stroke of humour. With more than 30 published books, he has left his mark on our ability to think with images.
Art should compel you to think and to question your place in this world. When art does not challenge you, it is merely decoration.
Alberto Montt
Le grand livre des humains, selon les chats. Alberto Montt. 2025
ā¦ One million lovely letters by Jodi Ann Bickley
There are initiatives that bring good into this world. Receiving a letter from a stranger, as an act of support and as a reminder that we are all connected and belong to the same human family, is both noble and deeply needed. I discovered Jodi Ann Bickleyās project while searching for my third artist on this list. Despite finding renowned artists, painters, and writers, I paused and realized that, in this time and era, this was the subtle reminder I wanted to share with you. There is an art to writing a letter, and even more so when it is addressed to a perfect stranger.
If you would like to be part of the growing number of lovely letters shared across the globe, feel free to send your request to Jodi. In France, we also have initiatives that support our elderly (1 Lettre 1 Sourire). I sent a few letters last year, and it was a good experience. You cannot imagine how a single letter can shift someoneās day. It is definitely worth trying across our projects. Feel free to spread the word as well.
One Million Lovely Letters: When Life is Looking Hopeless, One Inspirational Letter Can Change Your Life Forever. Jodi Ann Bickley. 2025
š¤© Creative awe
šŗĀ When your BTS is more valuable than your end resultĀ (With so much AI content being generated and shared, audiences, including myself, have become more sensitive to what happens in between, the doodles, the textures, the amateur style, the things you think do not matter. I still have work to do in the way I share this part of the process, but I believe this is good news for creatives.
Made by humans is becoming a value again, a market that will continue to grow, regain respect, and reclaim financial support if we choose to elevate it ourselves. This article by Itās Nice That explores this way of sharing our work and what it opens up for artists and beyond.)
š©š½āš» A community empowering women in UI/UX (I discovered this community last year through LinkedIn, and I immediately felt it was a great initiative for the web development community. It brings together skill-building and peer-to-peer relationships in a field where leadership and management are still largely dominated by men. With AI tools, this landscape is likely to shift even further toward equality, at least when it comes to the cost of entry into the game.)
š® An artist returning from the future. And she states that we have won! (AnnaĆÆg Plassard is an artivista: artist and activist. In her documentary "De retour Ć Plabennec," she opens her local community's eyes to the possibility of living without oil. āāWhat if the fight for the environment was a local battleground, starting close to home? On a small scaleāwithin your neighborhood, your village? Thatās the bet AnnaĆÆg is making.āā To promote the documentary, she imagined a futuristic comeback on horseback, flying a flag with a message stating thatĀ she returns for the future and thatĀ the people have won. Imagination is definitely the step for change!)
š J.K. Rowling returning to where it all began (Healing as a creative is good news! Sometimes success is not the healing itself, but the rediscovery of the work that led us there. It is the surrender to that momentum, to the faith or destiny that, despite everything, brought us to a place of peace with both the dark and the light of our path. I was deeply moved by Mrs. Rowlingās emotion when she visited the room where she began writing a novel that was rejected many times and later embraced by millions. Those beginnings stay close to us and become solid foundations.)
š„ A light to spread: the cutest I have seen lately
Do you know Max Kolo? I discovered him a few weeks ago, and I am in awe of his art, his devotion to the craft, his curiosity, and his creative fire. He reminds us how unlimited we are, how free we can be, how innovative we are, and how critical we can be in society, for ourselves, for others, and for a better world. I truly love his thinking and his work!
His series where his clients are kids is so precious and brilliant. They revive an encounter that nourishes both the creative and THE CREATIVE (the children: they are closer to the purest form of creativity than we adults). It is simply good news, all year long, at any time. I have received briefs from kids, and I know they are a demanding level of clientele. I need to experiment with this again.
To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.
Osho
Creativity is in every little curious experimentation.
Congrats, you made it to the end! Thank you for reading. I hope this brought a little light to your day. If you enjoy what you find here and believe in what i am building, I invite you to become a paid subscriber. You can find more ways to support the free posts here.
Until next time šŖš½.
Keva.
