I was deeply touched at the weekend at the amount of support I received for my first stab at Substack. Thank you all for subscribing. It is true that I feel somewhat exposed on here, writing instead of hiding behind pictures. But it feels like a natural leap to make.
Since the beginning, I have been sceptical of social media. Back in the mid-2000s I lied on all my social media accounts about my age and where I lived. It made me chuckle when Facebook sent me a birthday email for turning 73. But I generally found looking at posts made me unhappy. I enjoyed using Instagram for a while because it allowed me to connect with other illustrators and artists, but it has now become a little tiring. From what I hear, it seems tiring for many others too.
For me, most social media platforms do not provide the social connection they purport to. It feels to me like an illusion and therefore vacuous. Unfulfilling. That is not to say that I don’t enjoy looking at the work of my peers or illustrators I was at college with. I really enjoy seeing what they are up to. But for me, it is difficult to communicate honestly on social media. I am protected by the distance created.
On Substack, perhaps because of the long-form format, I feel less protected by anonymity. More vulnerable. Maybe that’s a good thing.
Thank you for your support and thank you for reading. Â
Love it! Thanks for sharing :-)