Thanks for reading The Habit of Art! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Thanks for reading The Habit of Art by Kelcey Ervick, an illustrated newsletter about writing, drawing, and storytelling as radical acts (that look a lot like sitting at a desk). Some of you are new here, so welcome! I love writing and drawing these posts and am grateful to everyone who follows along. I am author of four books, including the graphic memoir,
I love this, Kelcey! So powerful! Personally I create for all three—the next generation, myself as a girl, and me as a woman—they’re not mutually exclusive in my mind. But I 100% get what you’re saying about the pressure women feel to put others first.
I talk a lot about being selfish but like good selfish. E.g. I took a Selfish Sabbatical for a summer, where I only did things for me, without thinking of others, without apology or hesitation. Sum: it was magical. (If piqued ➡️ https://macncheeseproductions.com/im-on-a-selfish-sabbatical/ )
And I finally started sharing the truth about why I do what I do -- yes, to support others. But primarily, to support myself (in all the ways).
I wish more women + POCs + non size twos + any other group who silences themselves would unapologetically and proudly take up space.
"Let them be their own why" — beautifully said and illustrated. Love your work!
I love this!!! My first career was as a hair salon owner. It was creative, joyful, collaborative and my role was to serve my client. Then I went into coaching. I’ve had a solid coaching business for 15 years. I’ve focused on helping people realize their calling. Real, lovely purpose driven work. A few years ago I started feeling burnt out and realized that my calling to be a writer went by the wayside. So I really dug in. I thought I’d write a book, but I wrote a one woman show. Throughout the show are these themes you’re pointing to. But the writing of the show is this very thing. I did it for me. I want to perform it for me. I want to write books for me. I want to succeed for MY little girl, my younger self who learned that her ambitions should be wrapped up in being of service to others, instead of in service to her own pleasure and delight. I still believe this world needs more people to prioritize the collective over the individual, but part of doing that is shifting this collective cultural narrative that women’s pursuits should exclude their own desires, pleasures and personal ambitions. Thanks for this great art.
I can’t ❤️ this enough. I’ve been thinking my Why is Me. And reading this helped me remember that my 9 year old self wrote that my future plans were to be an artist. So, 50+ years later, it is for all of me.
I loved this so much that I immediately got your book, The Keeper, from the library. I was a soccer player, and now both my kids are. My daughter was a keeper up until recently. I’m loving it— and then passing it on to the mother of our team’s keeper. She’ll love it too. And then I’m going to go buy myself a copy. :)
I love this, Kelcey! So powerful! Personally I create for all three—the next generation, myself as a girl, and me as a woman—they’re not mutually exclusive in my mind. But I 100% get what you’re saying about the pressure women feel to put others first.
YES!!! I wish there was a bigger font to use here in the comments. :-) I have felt this my whole life. Such a great insight!
I completely agree with this. It never has to be about something else...it can be about you.
It definitely does *not* sound terrible for you to say that you didn't become a writer for some unknown future little girl. Not to me, anyway.
This. The imperative to be a Role Model is still very close to the view of a woman as primarily a nurturing, selfless being.
I appreciate this.
Wonderful! What an important insight!
I am living for all of the eclipse references you wove in here! Genius post. 🌒
Yes yes yes!!!
I talk a lot about being selfish but like good selfish. E.g. I took a Selfish Sabbatical for a summer, where I only did things for me, without thinking of others, without apology or hesitation. Sum: it was magical. (If piqued ➡️ https://macncheeseproductions.com/im-on-a-selfish-sabbatical/ )
And I finally started sharing the truth about why I do what I do -- yes, to support others. But primarily, to support myself (in all the ways).
I wish more women + POCs + non size twos + any other group who silences themselves would unapologetically and proudly take up space.
"Let them be their own why" — beautifully said and illustrated. Love your work!
I love this!!! My first career was as a hair salon owner. It was creative, joyful, collaborative and my role was to serve my client. Then I went into coaching. I’ve had a solid coaching business for 15 years. I’ve focused on helping people realize their calling. Real, lovely purpose driven work. A few years ago I started feeling burnt out and realized that my calling to be a writer went by the wayside. So I really dug in. I thought I’d write a book, but I wrote a one woman show. Throughout the show are these themes you’re pointing to. But the writing of the show is this very thing. I did it for me. I want to perform it for me. I want to write books for me. I want to succeed for MY little girl, my younger self who learned that her ambitions should be wrapped up in being of service to others, instead of in service to her own pleasure and delight. I still believe this world needs more people to prioritize the collective over the individual, but part of doing that is shifting this collective cultural narrative that women’s pursuits should exclude their own desires, pleasures and personal ambitions. Thanks for this great art.
I can’t ❤️ this enough. I’ve been thinking my Why is Me. And reading this helped me remember that my 9 year old self wrote that my future plans were to be an artist. So, 50+ years later, it is for all of me.
I love everything about this. Thank you so much.
You are so amazing. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. And I appreciate and resonate with the way you’ve handwritten everything, too. Thank you!
Brilliant. Thank you.
Awesome! I just ordered your book!
I loved this so much that I immediately got your book, The Keeper, from the library. I was a soccer player, and now both my kids are. My daughter was a keeper up until recently. I’m loving it— and then passing it on to the mother of our team’s keeper. She’ll love it too. And then I’m going to go buy myself a copy. :)