The first idea for a show was conceived last spring when I was talking with Sarah Nisbett about the idea. Sarah suggested the title for our first exhibition and call for art, “Creative Prescriptions.” What a fabulous idea! So I put a call for art together and managed it all through messages on instagram, which was a mess and I instantly regretted it. It all did finally come together and we had 9 different artists participate. The call was simple enough that people could explore what medicine they wanted to share with the community. Some even explored their inner depths to see what medicine they needed themselves, which on a broader level was truly medicine we all needed.

Creative Prescriptions

A note from the curator, Amanda May Moore:

If you are in need of a little medicine, please help yourself to The Medicine Cabinet Gallery. We only ask that you take no more than you need (suggested one item of medicine for your soul so others may partake in the experience as well).

This exhibition was meant to be a fun light hearted way of looking where we might otherwise not be allowed to look when visiting someone else’s home. BUT also–this small show, titled “Creative Prescriptions,” was a way to reflect on our mental health journey and other creative ways we may look for healing or medicine for the soul.

Mer-Medicine

Now for the next installation I am tapping into my inner child and creating what whimsical magic I want to share as medicine for all my mermaids out there! This work has taken some time and nearly cost $100 to do. So, my hope is to be able to raise funds to pay for the next artist to have a stipend to use for the Medicine Cabinet Gallery. Especially with the element of having a free take away item.

For the Mer-Medicine I have jewels, mermaid riso prints, and special commissioned bracelets with different words from Ginny of Bracelets for Bey. The words that inspired this installation: whimsy, magic, dream, wonder, star, radiant, treasure, joy, delight, and free. While they last, these are all available for anyone who visits the Medicine Cabinet Gallery at Dzanc House.

Next Steps

My hope is to see more people create a visual treat for their guests in their own medicine cabinets. I will even send them a sticker, open sign, and certificate to certify their medicine cabinet gallery! So, who wants to create their own? Let me know!

With Joy,

Amanda May

Today I had the joy of noticing a new color of morning glories among the purple, there are new pink ones in bloom! It’s hard to believe that they weren’t there before but it’s the truth.

I also observed a bee resting on a flower that I had considered picking yesterday. The bee was on one of the few remaining flowers among the pollinator garden. All the rest were scorched from the sun. I wish I had stopped to snap a photo but I was trying to avoid getting caught in the rain storm we had today. To see the bee resting on the flower I had considered picking made me think of my dating experience. So much of my time dating I feel a desire to be “picked” or chosen. For some reason or another I am not chosen in the end. It is always a grief of sorts to know that someone would rather not chose me every day but when I consider that flower and how that flower was not picked yet—there was a place for the bee to land and pollinate.

I believe the work that I do is to serve as a safe space to land and create cross pollination of arts and peoples within our community. If I were to be plucked out of the garden, like my heart so often desires, I may not be serving my community in the same way. This reframe of my purpose gives me a sense of gratitude for all the grief that comes with not being chosen. Sure, maybe there is someone out there who will pick me, but I am weary of being plucked out of this sweet pollinator garden of life where I get to see many beautiful people come together for various reasons where they would otherwise not meet.

This may just be my season to serve in a pollinator garden and when the time is right another flower will grow to bloom and take my place. But for now, I am like that lovely cosmo, ready to receive what the cosmos sends my way without getting picked and carried away.

Thanks for reading,

Amanda May

What is a zine?

Well, zine is derived from the word, magazine. So, that is how it is pronounced, for those who do not know. And while a magazine is a form of publication that is maybe more formal, a zine is less formal and more independent. It is a form of self-publication that really has no rules. One can create a zine in any size or format as well as about any content—written or just with illustrations.

Historically, zines have been a means to circulate information as a form of resistance. With so much surveillance nowadays, it is actually a good way to relay important information without anyone being to blame for publishing it.

Most often I create zines to illustrate little snippets of my life that I take the liberty to romanticize, like, delivering flowers or ordering a coffee at a local cafe.

Here is a photo of me with my first zine, “How to be a Sunflower,” which you can see at Cluster Museum through Saturday! In fact, I will be at the closing reception, on Saturday (6/27), 12-3 pm. You can catch me there selling my art and zines! Along with other talented comic artists!

If you bring a zine to trade, I do love a trade! I am currently working on building a zine library at Dzanc House. My hope is to have a large selection of zines for the community to read while they visit for silent sustained reading each month.

Since zines are a love language for me, if you ever want to get coffee and make a zine with me—that would bring me great joy! So, reach out! Or should I start hosting a virtual zine making meet once a month? I just might! I love to create with others and share and be inspired by one another.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope to see you this Saturday!

If not, be well!

Amanda May

Last October I hosted an event I called, “Party Animals,” which consisted of disco chickens crafted by friends to sell and raise a little money for Dzanc House. Everyone was encouraged to dress up with three different categories one could win for: (1) disco, (2) chicken, or (3) disco chicken!

This was a small event but I believe it was significant because it gave us all the opportunity to play, dance, dress up, and recharge.

March we celebrated the art of cake at Dzanc House. It was such a joyous occasion with art of all kinds depicting cake.

I will admit at times I am weary and this work is not easy just because it is fun. I live in the same world and read the same news. But that also gives me all the more motivation to do something that is the antithesis of all the cruelty and hatred we witness in our world.

What would my inner child want to do?

Clearly, an authoritarian state is not where our inner child can thrive. The world we are living in right now is making it nearly impossible to live at all let alone let our inner child express themselves with joy.

So, this is a form of rebellion really. Fuck the authoritarian rule and the fascism that seeks to do more than play nice. To allow our inner child to run and play freely means we have built a safe container for it to exist within. If we have community where we are able to connect in ways that draw out our creativity and play, then we are winning. Clearly the rules are not in our favor, nor are they even stated anywhere to be fair… but when we can exist more uninhibited by the fascists, they won’t know what to do. We can make up our own rules too.

I want to invite you, dear reader, to make up some new rules too! In what ways can we invite more play into our daily lives? And if not daily, what is at least one thing you want to try doing this year for your inner child?

One thing I just did for my birthday was have my friends get together with masks that they have made for a photo shoot in the woods! All tarot cards themed! I was so overjoyed to see what everyone created! What an incredibly magical way to celebrate because no one was the same tarot card and everyone was able to create and be whimsical together in a way that felt like play. I am so lucky to have friends who are excited about my silly ideas!

Thanks for reading!

With love & whimsy,

Amanda May

Rather than feel deflated, I replied back with, “Oh, thanks for the encouragement,” perhaps with a hint of sarcasm. Then he asked if I would be self publishing and I shared that I have to work on carving more of my work first before I have enough to even present the possibility of being published.

My graphic memoir will all be hand-carved and printed prior to publication because that is my form of creating art. It will be a longer process than just drawing my work out but it is what I love to do most.

So, my work will be published one day, yes. But it will also be able to be displayed in galleries.

After I shared that it would be done this way, he said, “oh so it’s art,” and just walked away. Wild. I would much rather offer a stranger encouragement than any negative opinions… I believe life is what we make it. If we want to make it out to be an unfortunate place for the comic arts then, it will be. Maybe I’m delusional but at least I know how to dream. Plus, this dream will include a curriculum to go along with the graphic memoir to help teachers share in their health classes. If you have been following me for some time you may recall that I have shared my graphic memoir is titled, “It’s not over: Life after a mental health crisis,” which chronicles before, during, and after my manic episodes. There is a lot to unpack and break down when it comes to overcoming stigmas around mental illness. That is why there should be these kinds of relatable resources for students to learn empathy for self and others who may encounter a mental health crisis in their lifetime. We never know.

This will be my legacy. I feel a deep sense of urgency for this work. For someone to not know me and simply be so discouraging is tough. I could be extra discouraging to those I know going into education but I don’t let my experience be something I use to discourage others to reconsider their path.

We all have to figure it out. I am figuring my path out. And the journey is really meaningful. I wouldn’t want to take that away from anyone.

Thanks, dear reader, for accompanying me on my journey.

With love,

Amanda May

PS- a special thanks to Holly Bones for more blocks to carve for my graphic memoir! It was such a special surprise to see in the gift bag you left for me at my birthday party! <3

While I share this one man’s discouragement, I really must say I feel so much support and encouragement from my friends and community!

So, a lot of our culture today is centered around consumption. We consume content on our food, we consume coffee, sweet treats, great food, and some consume alcohol. There may be other things but let’s focus on these. All of these things have something in common: dopamine. We are given a reward just by thinking of heading out to get a coffee before we even fully realize the desire. In most cases this is not inherently bad—but I have noticed an increase in coping with these forms of dopamine. It is also this way in dating. As soon as the NRE wears off and reality sets in, all of the sudden we seek out someone new to fulfill that dopamine need. None of this is a sustainable way to live.

I want to pose the question, if we were to stop seeking comfort and fulfillment in these ways, how else might we spend our money and our time? What else might we value?

There was this one year where I was vending in Ferndale at a pretty popular art fair and a woman had come into our tent with her drink. She began to look at my art and lament that rather than buy a drink she should have bought my art. While I appreciate that she wished she had spent $10 on a print of mine rather than her drink, I appreciate more that she shared that insight with me. It didn’t feel great to hear but at least she expressed regret.

Post-pandemic, we have all had to pick up life at full speed once again. Then on top of it during the election year I noticed my art sales plummeted. Everyone is struggling, I feel it deeply, but we are also all spending our money in ways that are not supportive of our nervous systems.

If we are going to get through the current traumas we need to refocus where our money, time, and energy is spent. Rather than consistently going out for drinks with a few friends to numb, what about attending a local art event? Try collaging or knitting. I suggest these two because they are offered twice a month at Dzanc House, where people can attend for free and leave feeling a little lighter. Plus, even just the value of visiting an art gallery is exceptionally good for our mood.

Or, rather than consistently spend money on multiple coffees or eating out multiple times a week, what if we saved some of those funds for a piece of art to hang in our space? That way it doesn’t feel like a hard decision to support local artists and we can be proud of our investments in someone else’s time and skill.

It is a shift in values that it can also translate across other areas of our lives. The people in power with billions of dollars want us to numb but what else could we get done if we were not all asleep?

Wake up!

Thanks for reading,

Amanda May

PS- I use the pronouns “we” and “our” because I am including myself in these criticisms and observations. I am not without fault. I can do better too. We all can!

In the fifth year of having Embracing Our Differences here in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, I am excited to share I have a piece in the exhibition in the parks! This will be my 4th year of having my work on display in a way that is truly larger than life. It is amazing to see your work printed on such a large scale. I recommend applying for the call to be a part of this powerful tradition.

Please be sure to see the art at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor and Riverside Park in Ypsilanti before the show concludes in October. My piece titled, “For Mahsa,” is on display at Riverside.

Tomorrow, Sunday, May 17th from 3-6 pm there will be a great celebration of cultures for Diversity Day. This event is put on by Embracing Our Differences each year and features dance and musical performances as well as artists who will be vending alongside local cultural institutions. So if you are interested in attending it takes place at the Morris Lawrence Building at WCC! I will actually be there this year despite my exhaustion.

Here I am with a brilliant group of 3rd graders during a recent tour of the art at Riverside Park! That’s right! I am a docent for tours with Embracing Our Differences this year. It is an incredible opportunity to get out to the parks and have really meaningful conversations. This is not just available to school field trips but to any group of people looking to learn more.

I am so grateful for this community and truly how magical it is here to be in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. It is a wonder how we get to have such great art that really communicates our values.

To book a tour (or “field trip”) head on over to the Embracing Our Differences of SouthEast Michigan’s website linked here!

Thank you all & so much love,

Amanda May

Somewhere along the way, I learned that it was not safe to shine.

I don’t recall when it began… it must have been a gradual process of unbecoming to make others more comfortable. If I have too much success it might make my friends jealous and leave me feeling like I did something wrong. So I’d rather shrink myself to be able to belong.

Of course, I do not want to shrink myself to fit in because that is clearly not where I am meant to be. Or if it is where I am meant to be, I have begun to challenge my fears of being seen.

A few years ago, one of my best friends would often be jealous and make sarcastic remarks about the things I have accomplished or worked hard at, which is remarkable because they also know the great difficulties I have experienced in my life. I had to confront them and ask them to stop because of how much it hurt me. I also took a break from seeing this friend regularly because I needed space to regain a sense of safety. Thankfully that friend has since learned how to love me better.

Jealousy is a fickle friend

Whenever I experience jealousy, I always take it as a sign that there is something that I wish I had. So, rather than feed that negative energy, I alchemize it for admiration. How much greater is that to have admiration rather than jealousy? Furthermore, whenever I see someone winning or receiving the things that I long for in my life I feel joy for them and know that it must be near in the energy fields for what I am calling in for my life.

When someone shines brighter that does not dim our own light

One of the hardest parts of growing to be more expansive and visible is knowing that my light or joy may trigger others jealousy or unhealed wounds. I find this often in workplaces where there is someone who will do things to be cruel or manipulative. This has also been a common experience for me with other women, which is beyond sad because we should all be supporting one another to shine brighter.

When I was student teaching, I experienced the harshest treatment from the collaborating teacher. She was kind to my face but when my time was over, she had all of the students clean out their folders and throw everything away that I had done with them. Right in front of me. As if the months of work I had done with her students was a waste. There was no communication to me about her intentions of throwing the work away. Just the act.

After my time with her in the classroom, I learned from my advisor that she had written a very bad review that would essentially suggest that I should not pass student teaching. Fortunately, my advisor had the wherewithal to see through her nonsense. My advisor even said that it was classist of the collaborating teacher to say I didn’t demonstrate enough dedication to teaching since I had a part time job.

Clearly, there was a bitterness this teacher held towards me, which I had some awareness of but I hadn’t realized it would run so deep. What is even more wild is that I had a nightmare in the very beginning and wish I had seen it as a warning to not be paired with her. The dream consisted of a tornado ripping through the school between us. So, clearly, I should respect a prophetic dream when I have one! But it is fascinating that she was so determined to ruin my student teaching experience or make it more difficult than it had to be all because I went through the same program as her but the awful teacher that oversaw her student teaching was retiring and not overseeing my student teaching. She did not want for me to have it easier than her. This collaborating teacher wanted me to suffer just as much as she did during her student teaching. She envied that my experience was not as terrible as hers. Now, just an aside, the teacher we had for this career was notoriously known for making things so difficult that many people left the program and did not become educators. All in all, there was also some sense of pride for all those that did survive her iron-fisted will.

When I shine, I want to guide others to shine brightly too

If there is anything I have learned in life, it is this: just because I have suffered great difficulties, does not mean everyone deserves to suffer too. In fact, I want to use my story to help others through their suffering or even prevent such great suffering. This is why I am writing a graphic memoir to chronicle my experience with mental illness. I know as I begin to share more publicly there will be voices that judge my work or judge my success, but I am beginning to see that it is not for me to care about. If I continue to shrink out of fear of what others will think or say, I may never do anything so incredible with my life. I carry so much conviction in my heart that I am meant to share my story, which will take a long time with printmaking as my medium. But anything worthwhile is deserving of such time and care.

So, if you are still with me here, dear reader, get ready—because I have so much to share and I am learning how to shine without apologies!

Thank you for reading,

Amanda May

PS- can you relate? Let me know!

One of the most rewarding things I have done recently was a Riso Zine Retreat at Dzanc House. It was a really special time filled with curiosity, play, and experimentation. Participants left with a complete work that they were proud to share and exchange. I witnessed a lot of growth in everyone and really enjoyed working with each person individually to bring their projects to life!

Each day was structured to have a workshop at the start, a lunch, one-on-one consultations with me, and then unstructured work time and journaling time. I created sweet little workbook zines for everyone to use as they did the inner work of developing what zines they wanted to create.

Day one we discussed and journaled about our voices as artists. Then the workshop entailed us collaging a page of a collective zine that depicted what we define as the artist’s voice. So, right away, everyone had the satisfaction of a complete zine we created! I taught about the importance of value and to think of their work in grey scale so that it would translate into the riso-printed form. There are many things to consider when creating work for the Risograph and the most important is the contrast. If there are things that are too close in value they will not be distinguished in the riso-printed version.

In my workbook zine I reference Lisa Congdon’s work, Find Your Artistic Voice, which I also encouraged participants to look at the copy I had on hand. One day I may consider building that into the retreat too because who doesn’t love a good book?

Day two we practiced and played with layering colors in the work we did with the Risograph. The assignment was to create something that could potentially be a cover for a zine or just let it be whatever comes freely to learn what to expect when layering inks. One participant even created a whole one page zine right away!

Pictured below is Shahrin Azim and her incredible work layering the fluorescent pink with blue! I must admit that I am a bit obsessed with this color combination right now.

Day three was a day to learn about all the different folding techniques one might consider when creating their zine. So the workshop was short but that allowed for everyone to have more time to work on their creations! That day also coincided with the opening reception for Rick Wedel’s exhibition at Dzanc House. So, we had a shorter evening and invitation for everyone to join us at the reception for some delicious charcuterie and incredible art!

So, there were opportunities throughout the retreat where people could join us for the evening activities that take place in our community gallery and residency space.

Then, on our final day, participants had some time to finalize their work and then we were printing and assembling for the remainder of our time together. It was such an incredible run of printing. One person after the other, each creating their own beautifully printed masterpiece!

After the laborious day of printing and assembling, everyone was so over-joyed to be able to share their zines and trade!

I am so proud of the work everyone did in our short time together! So much time and thought went into everyone’s zines. So, anytime, anyone ever, is selling a zine and you might think it costs too much… think again! It can be a pretty labor intensive work and not only that—but also, if it is riso-printed there are many other factors to consider as well.

All in all, zines are the revolution! We all would be better off making zines! And so I am so happy to say that I am offering this unique opportunity again, August 11-14! You can reserve your spot here.

Let me leave you with one of the questions or prompts in my zine workbook: when do you feel most authentic?

With so much love & joy,

Amanda May

It has been far too long since I have shared any updates. I have been unbelievably busy and something about spring feels like I can regain some momentum around creating what I want to create. So, no major promises but I do hope to begin sharing more consistently.

Backyard Art Fair

I will be participating in the Backyard Art Fair this upcoming Saturday, May 9th, in Ferndale! You can find me at 477 W. Drayton from 11 am to 6 pm!

I will have my special new zine workbooks available for sale as well as some of my latest prints. Have you been wanting a cake queen print to add to your collection? I will have her as well as some other new faves!

If I manage to make anything extra new it will be some form of blue printed tees. I recently have been finding blue to be a really beautiful color to use—especially with the special riso-blue zine we released at Dzanc House. So, if that is the case—you will most likely see a post about it on instagram.

Historic South Side Neighborhood Yard Sale

Next Saturday, May 16th, I will be setting up among neighbors to sell some things and make way for spring! The yard sale takes place from 10 am to 2 pm and I am located at 402 S Huron Street. Hoping to get some friends to set up with me as well.

Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival

I am beyond excited to share that I will be vending at this event hosted at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library! You can find me there on Saturday and Sunday, June 13th and 14th, from 11 am to 5 pm!

In addition to my zines and comic style pages I am working on some new things to share as well—such as my zine queen t-shirt, more zines, and progress on my graphic memoir.

Beyond my own personal artwork—you can always stay up-to-date on various things I am organizing at Dzanc House! We have a newsletter here on substack too! Check it out here.

So much love & joy,

Amanda May

Now, I have had to edit this since beginning to write my newsletter since it was at the beginning of December ahead of all the events and business. Sometimes it is hard to accomplish everything in the midst of the busy season but I am ok with continuing this reflection here, today, for the New Year.

A few moments of joy today, I shared a special treat of biscuits and gravy from Beara Bakes for my best friend, Scott. Then I headed over to Book Love Bar to deliver a special gift to them to help with fundraising for their space—and there I ran into a few friends in the community. We talked a little about upcoming events and I shared about an event I am working on for March that involves cake… I then learned that they love cake! Specifically, German chocolate cake, which they shared was hard to find. Well, then I shared where I know they have a great slice of German chocolate cake in Ann Arbor since I would go there with my dear friend (who has since moved to Ireland). Upon sharing that you can get a good slice of German chocolate cake at Dolce Vita, I learned that this couple got engaged there! How cool is that? The synchronicity of being in the right place at the right time and simply talking about what you love can really bring about such joy! I am glad that we made that connection today! Now, I hope to hear back that they do in fact agree that it is a good slice of German chocolate cake.

Here is a fun photo of me and the piece of art I will be submitting for our upcoming exhibition in March at Dzanc House, “Frosted & Fabulous.” Learn more here!

As we wrap up the year here, I want to thank everyone who has showed up in some way this year. I feel that I have some how managed to do a lot this year and I could not have done it all without the help and support of so many wonderful people. Hopefully, next year I can get better at staying on top of my personal newsletters. As I write this I am only here because I know I need to log out and write a newsletter update for Dzanc House. But I really want to finish this out because otherwise I will forget and it will be lost for awhile longer.

I don’t wish to forever remain busy. In fact, I hope to be able to do less next year in the sense of setting up systems that allow for me to do more creatively but in a less demanding or stressful way.

A week away from today, I will be hosting my annual Printmaking & New Year’s Intentions workshop! January 3rd, 4-6:30 pm, at Dzanc House! You can register here if interested in joining us. We begin with a time of reflection and guided journaling to help determine a word as our intention for the new year. Then we translate that into an image to carve and print on the cover of our journals. This workshop is truly my favorite one to host and each year I am pleased to see how taking time to set an intention for the year really does bring about so much beauty!

If you are not able to join us take a look at these prompts and consider time to reflect for yourself!

1. What three words would you use to summarize 2025?

2. What moments this year made you feel most authentically yourself and how can you create more moments like this in 2026?

3. Who or what drained you of your energy in 2025 and what boundaries can you create to protect your energy in 2026?

4. What are you proud of that required courage this past year and what did you learn from your courageous self?

5. What truth did you not face this past year because if you did you acknowledged it you would have to change?

6. What version of yourself do you wish to leave in 2025 and who are you ready to be?

7. Who showed up for you, believed in you, or grew with you this past year and who did not?

8. What three words would you like to define 2026?

Well, I wish you all a restful and reflective end to the year!

Thanks again & with love,

Amanda May

A lot of the community building taking place at Dzanc House has been vital for our creative community here in Ypsilanti because we are all faced with the daily horrors of not just what terrible things are happening in our country but also in other parts of the world as well where colonial and imperial rule dominates. Destruction, greed, cruelty, war, genocide, the holocaust in Palestine… it is all so much. The opposite of destruction is creation.

What ways can we create a better world for all? The imagination is powerful—how can we use it to envision systems without oppression or racism? If we can imagine it then it is possible and we can work towards that. Our imaginations are sacred and deserve to be protected from the chaos that fights to consume our energy.

We can gather and encourage one another in our creative endeavors because in this way we resist the distractions that want us to allow for the current status quo to continue to exist.

Creative courage to share what is near and dear to our hearts is how we build a better community full of compassion, empathy, and a commitment to one another. To be known by like-minded people has more value than what the world considers more valuable.

At Dzanc House, with every new exhibition, collage night, open mic, figure drawing, fiber arts gathering, writing workshop, riso workshop, silent sustained reading, and residencies… I see the hope. I see what we are building will have echoes throughout our lifetime leaving a lasting impact in ways that I may never even know. The impact I have seen in people pursuing their art more has been really encouraging to see. Witnessing this has been great nourishment for my soul.

If you have not been by yet, I highly recommend you check out our calendar of events and visit soon!

I will share more updates soon! In short, consider coming out to an the South Side Stroll on August 16th where I will be vending along with other fabulous artists and we will have live music!

With love,

Amanda May

Not sure how we are already entering the fifth month out of the year?! This month I will be participating in the Backyard Art Fair in Ferndale, Saturday May 10th, 11 am to 6 pm. If you are interested in coming out to visit me I will be at location number 12 on the map you can find here on their website. If the weather is bad the rain date is Sunday, the 11th.

I will also be participating in Diversity Day with Embracing Our Differences on Sunday, May 18th, from 3-6 pm at the Morris Lawrence Building (at Washtenaw Community College). So, if you want an opportunity to shop my new art come on out and visit me. Plus(!) there will be various performances too!

What’s new in terms of art? I will be offering my calendars at half off since we are about half way through the year. They are still lovely and worth having if anyone is interested. I enjoy coloring the days as they come. So, mine is hanging next to my bed and I pick out a new colored pencil for each month. It is fun to see the color added through the days that may be challenging as we are dealing with a fascist regime.

Another new item will be a riso printed lady. She is a limited edition print so get her while you can! She is reading a book and it appears as if she is one with the sky, stars, and galaxies behind her with the phrase, “The possibilities are endless.” This print will only cost you $25 and it is 11x14 inches—if you’re curious!

This is a timely piece of art where we need to remember the importance of reading and education. Without access to diverse voices we lose the teaching opportunities for young people to know empathy. Reading allows us to see into the daily life of people in different parts of the world and from different backgrounds. When we open a book, the possibilities are truly endless. Plus, writing opens opportunities for diverse voices to share their stories and perspectives.

As I am working in this new space, Dzanc House, curating art exhibitions and cultivating community… I see the importance and value of our voices as artists, poets, and writers. That all being said, our Open Mic last night was really beautiful and good for the soul! It is all unplugged, poetry, performance, and music. So, consider coming out next month if you’re interested in sharing or just absorbing.

Our current exhibition is really quite lovely and I recommend you try coming out to see it before the end of May! The exhibition, “Ladyscapes & Climate Haste,” features two artists—Brittany Slater and Mackenzie Stolzenburg—with a compelling collection of collages that will highlight the resilience of women and our fight for what is right, plus collages that call attention to the climate crisis and our urgent need to change how we interact with nature. There are gallery hours this Sunday and next Sunday from 5-7 pm. Then the closing reception is Friday, May 30th, from 6-9 pm.

Well, this will be the brief update for now as I have to get ready for the backyard art fair tomorrow! I am going to work on printing some t-shirts with my “I’m a treat” lady in an ice cream cone design today as well as whatever else I manage to get done! I look forward to sharing and connecting here soon!

OH! One last thing—look out for more updates on my instagram because I am working on putting together another risograph workshop for here at Dzanc House and riso lab hours start on Monday, May 12th, for all those who have attended at least one workshop!

Yep—okay, I believe that is all for now!

With love,

Amanda May

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I have been meaning to write a newsletter for some time now. It is finally spring and I am beginning to return to the normal rhythm of life here. As I write this, I am sitting at a dining room table in the room next to where there are nearly 15 people participating in figure drawing! My heart is full to see new faces looking to practice their hand at drawing a live model.

It is here, at Dzanc House, where I have been able to test out some of the community art oriented engagement that I was attempting to do with Ypsi Bloom Studio & Gallery. With the support of Dzanc Books, Steve Gillis, has given me a truly remarkable opportunity to develop a space for arts and culture in the city I love most, my hometown, Ypsilanti. As we build out a space that fosters community and creativity for artists and writers alike, I do see a foreseeable future here doing what I love most. To see a calendar of events and happenings at Dzanc House, please see our website linked here.

Now, I have been pondering for some time now our interconnectedness and how we can better be present to the needs in our community. Last month, I organized a large celebration for the 96th birthday of Yayoi Kusama. If you do not know who that artist is, that is exactly why I organized it! I wanted to teach the community who this phenomenal woman is and why her art matters. Now, in preparation for the big birthday bash, we spend a little over a month of consistently working on large paper mache tentacles, like that of an octopus. Towards the end of preparing for the party, no lie, I was feeling very tired. Thankfully I had a team of friends who were consistently showing up. My need met a need of theirs and we all have been able to be brave and vulnerable with one another through the creative mission.

What’s more—I have recently learned that we humans need 8 hugs a day. Just for emotional wellness. Who would have thought? How deprived are we most days without 8 hugs?! I began counting my hugs in February and often would not reach 8. It is an odd thing to consider when most people do not hug in our culture when we say hello and goodbye. So, we all really need to have a Team Tentacles in our midst because an octopus has eight tentacles and can offer 8 hugs. My team of tentacles has far outgrown the arms of an octopus but the idea is pretty powerful. We can begin to grow with 12 or more hugs a day according to this theory by Virginia Satir. May our hugs far exceed our daily needs, in this way we can experience more personal growth and development. These hugs have most certainly helped me in my personal growth and development. I owe many thanks to Team Tentacles as I call it.

As this new season continues, and we begin to busy ourselves like the bees—I do hope to begin to share more of what is happening in my life as an artist. I will be doing far less of the markets and art shows because of the devastating drop in sales last year by 80%. So, if you are looking to support my work you may reach out to me directly or see what is for sale on my website. I also am available for hire for murals that are in my style. Personally, I believe my work would fit perfectly in the bedroom of a young girl because the art I create is truly for my inner-girl. If you are interested in learning more please reach out! Finally, I will be teaching more workshops here at Dzanc House soon too! Specifically workshops on the risograph, which is an incredible form of printmaking from Japan.

I hope this short newsletter reaches you well and may it excite you too!

With Love & Joy,

Amanda May

Letting Ypsi Bloom Studio & Gallery go was a huge decision. I have felt a lot lighter since deciding to close. I believe that the universe ultimately does not want us to live in survival mode. Trying to shift in ways that are more supportive of my mental health and nervous system has been a focus of mine since deciding to leave teaching. It is difficult to stay in work environments that do not allow the artist to have more freedom to create and flow. Teaching allowed me the space to begin but it was also very stressful. More specifically, the pandemic and teaching from home allowed me to begin. At any rate, taking a moment to pause and reflect is important and the pandemic forced many people to take a moment to reflect. It affected us all differently, but for many people I know, it allowed us to go inward and center ourselves on the things we value most. Somewhere between that time and now, I think many people have lost sight of what they value most or we are all back in survival mode with this economy. What’s more, we also have a government that cares more about funding a genocide than helping us be able to live well—or help those after the hurricanes we are seeing ruin homes in North Carolina and Florida.

The machine of it all is broken and who is going to fix it? As an artist, we have the responsibility to create and dream outside of the machinery or systems that keep us all stuck in a circular motion of unconsciousness. The constant grind where we feed ourselves with dopamine from either coffee, sweets, or instagram.

So, if we were to pause and reflect today, what are the things we value? Are we aligning ourselves with supporting that which we value?

My dream is that we all can see more of the world we want to see, each day, within ourselves and around us. May it ripple towards creating communities that are more conscious of where their energy is spent and how we are supporting the creativity we want to see. When someone is stepping out and doing a brave new thing, how can we support them? If we are all more conscious of our energy and where it is spent, will we be able to meet others where they are in support of their goals and energy too?

One thing I loved most about Ypsi Bloom was that we provided a space for artists to share their work or teach a workshop for the first time. There are numerous stories of talented artists who simply needed a space to feel like it was safe to share their work. As artists, what we create is vulnerable. If someone rejects your work, it is hard to not take it personally. It is even harder to apply again. I have been rejected from various art fairs and other things where I could decide to not apply again, but I have applied more than once. Truthfully it does hurt to be rejected 2 and even 3 times but it does not mean my artwork is not good. It doesn’t even mean my work doesn’t deserve to be in that space. Some shows accept the same people year after year and if you’re lucky enough to be on a waitlist, you may get in when one of the repeating people cannot attend. These are the things no one tells you… but we must. We must know that it is okay to be rejected by an art fair but still succeed as an artist. Those type of things do not determine our value and worth. I hope to be able to continue to create spaces where we can hold one another and celebrate our art without the competitiveness or other barriers that prevent us from achieving our dreams.

So… Dream big because we need one another’s dreams. Dream big because it’s brave. Dream big because you never know who you are inspiring or encouraging to dream too. The more we support one another outside of our dopamine addictions and coping mechanisms due to this harsh capitalistic society we live in the more we all win. Sure, we can make money too but I think we all could look at our collective consciousness more and consider who it is benefiting when we are stuck in cycles of not addressing our reasons for which we are stuck with poor coping habits. Myself included, I am not sharing this as someone above it and judging others. I want to do better too.

Now, I have had what may be my last art fair for a while this month. It was exhausting and what’s more is that my sales were so incredibly low compared to last year. I only made about 20% of what I made last year or on the flip-side my sales were down 80%. That is destabilizing if you are like me and setting out to make your art your full time everything. I will be shifting and doing things differently from here on out to say the least. But with that said I want to urge you, dear reader, to consider supporting the artists you love with whatever you can when you can. If we don’t support the arts and artists can’t continue to create, what will be left for us when we need art to help us through difficult times in life? I think a lot about this. Someone even acknowledged it herself in my tent after spending probably $15 on a drink rather than buying one of my prints and apologized. I appreciated that acknowledgement but also it is ok, I am not in competition with food and drink or anything but there is something to be conscious of. For that acknowledgement I am grateful.

Ok, I could continue to go on about how much time and energy I spent preparing for the art fair and everything else that has also made me feel so depleted but…

I have some big and exciting news!

So, one incredibly good thing that has come out of this difficult time of closing up Ypsi Bloom is that someone who saw what we were doing and admired it has asked me to help with starting an arts residency house and curate a gallery within it. I get to do at least a year long residency where I will be hosting workshops, events, as well as curating exhibitions in the cutest location! Sorry I did not get this newsletter out in time for the soft opening last week with an opening reception for Janet Nelson’s first solo show. However, there will be a closing reception for her show on November 30TH. Plus, various workshops and things in between! Follow along on instagram linked here.

More to come soon on this art residency but in short it is with a local non-profit, Dzanc Publishing House. They’ve been so kind and generous in support as I have begun to work with them. Yes, my life does feel like a dream. Sharing out loud has only just begun to feel real!

It has been a huge two months of many moving parts and moving out of my apartment in about a week’s time! Fortunately this move has given me the chance to clean out and get rid of things. One thing I have noticed that is difficult is that many of the foods or ingredients in my cabinets have all expired in the year 2022, the same year my father passed away. Grief is an odd thing and comes and goes. I don’t know if it ever really leaves us. The only thing I do know is that it is okay to ask for help. I owe so much gratitude to my best friend, Scott, for helping me move through all of the mess I left after losing my dad. It was very laborious but he is always up for cleaning out and organizing.

What else? A new workshop coming up!

I will begin offering more workshops here soon—and to start I have one coming up the 23rd, a Wednesday! We will be repurposing a few pieces of clothing with printmaking! My favorite. To learn more and sign up head on over to my website linked here! It is all new and nothing is in the shop yet… but I do have that workshop listed! The website was really needing an update. I will let you know when I have more things up to see.

Thank you all so much,

Amanda May

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Currently, I am working towards having more independence in screen printing my own shirts. Having the means of production helps cut costs and as an artist who is a newly found co-owner of a studio and gallery… that is important. It is difficult to purchase shirts in bulk to then sell. So, if you have missed my shirts, please be patient with me in this season of transition.

Recently, I painted my shirt design on this mural at Kosmo’s in downtown Ann Arbor! Koz is a kind business owner who makes a great bibimbap! If you have not been, I highly recommend you check him out. You might even consider checking this fine establishment out this weekend as well as visiting me and other fabulous artists at the Westside Art Hop!

Where to find me at the Westside Art Hop

Here I will link you to a map of where to find the various artists at this weekend’s event! I am located at venue #4 on the map or 602 Soule Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. This is my first time participating in this event and I am grateful to be a part of such a community of artists who are interested in the well being of artists. I hope to create something of this nature next year for our own community in Ypsilanti too!

YPSI BLOOM

I am so grateful for the budding community we have at Ypsi Bloom! Just last night we hosted our first figure drawing class and it was fabulous. Erika Chesky did such a lovely job guiding us in the second session. I learned a lot and cannot wait to continue improving my figure drawing skills.

The new exhibition is quite lovely if you haven’t been in yet. The show is titled, ROYGBIV, in honor of Pride. It will be up for June and July. We also have many wonderful artists teaching workshops too! Be sure to check them out on our website if you might be interested in participating in learning a new art form.

One other thing that brought me great joy was our first poetry night last month! Everyone wrote such great poems inspired by various pieces of art in the gallery. We will be hosting those every last Wednesday of the month!

Latest Artwork

I have been working on more zines! I have a new one I plan on having available this weekend! Here’s a preview of it:

I have found it liberating to create this zine for the pure simple joy of sharing a positive message for my inner child in hopes of it inspiring your inner child too!

As an artist I have been pondering how I define success. It has been very difficult this year while I have noticed new trends in spending. Compared to last year’s sales, I have observed a huge dip. I don’t want to equate my sales or income with how successful my work is as an artist. This is a very important distinction. So, I have decided to think more about finding long-term satisfaction through working on what I love, regardless of the outcome, which birthed this new zine.

Thank you, as always, for reading my updates and supporting my work! If you might be interested in a zine workshop… that may be in the works as well!

With love and joy,

Amanda May

Many times, at art markets, I am asked who the people are in my work. One time I had someone ask me if all of my work was Frida, to which I laughed out loud!

Very a-MUSE-ing!

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What a month! What a year! I have many things going on but the biggest of them all is opening this beautiful studio and gallery. If you have not had a chance to visit Ypsi Bloom, be sure to come on by soon! I believe this space has great potential for our community to create and thrive together. I’ll be teaching a little workshop there on Friday, May 24th, from 5 to 7 pm. We’ll make a set of stationary cards with printmaking. You can sign up here! It is a special deal too!

In addition to our grand opening, we have a closing reception for the inaugural exhibition on May 31st. You can follow along with all the updates on social media or sign up for our newsletter.

Backyard Art Fair!

This Saturday, May 18th, I’ll be participating in the Back Yard Art Fair in Ferndale, Oak Park & Pleasant Ridge. You can find me at house #10 on the map!

For more information check out the website linked above!

Diversity Day at Gallup Park

This Sunday, May 19th, I will be vending at Gallup Park during the celebration of Diversity Day for the art put on by Embracing Our Differences. This show really means a lot to me because of all the good work they do with the community. It is also my third year participating in the show.

“We Rise,” 2022

“You are Magic,” 2023

“All Girls Deserve to Dream,” 2024

This third piece is my all time favorite piece of work I have created so far! The message is also really deeply important too. Here is my artist statement:

As a woman who loves to dream and create—I believe it is important to remind my inner girl that it is okay to have big dreams. When I was younger I definitely had big dreams but they weren’t necessarily encouraged or fostered in the ways that I needed them to grow to where I am now. Overcoming some of those fears that were instilled in me has allowed me to nurture my inner girl. Furthermore, when I was a young girl and teen, I knew that there were differences in the world and that not everyone was as fortunate as I was. BUT it was not until adulthood that I learned how not all girls around the world got to go to school or have the same kinds of opportunities that I had. So much happiness in my childhood came from school and learning or achieving. To think that not every girl is afforded that same opportunity all around the world, in 2024, is beyond me. I hope for this piece of art to raise awareness and spark conversations with young people who will grow up and want to see better for young girls all around the world because when young girls everywhere are afforded an education—we all benefit.

So, if you are looking for some fun, come check out the art at Gallup Park, this Sunday! We will be there from 11 am to 3 pm. The programming begins at noon with the Ypsilanti Youth Choir, Scarlett Middle School Girls Cheer Team, and a time of recognizing artists in the show. I will be there with my art for sale! Hopefully enough prints available of the piece, “All Girls Deserve to Dream.” If I run out, I’ll be working on printing more, so just ask!

Plus, if you are interested in seeing the original works of art that are on display in the parks—there will be an exhibition at Culture Verse Gallery (309 S. Main St, Ann Arbor) with the opening reception on Saturday, June 8th from 6 to 8 pm. The show will be up through June 29th and available to visit based on their hours.

I’ll share more June updates closer to June! But I will be at an Art Fair in Palmer Park the first weekend in June! Many things are happening and I’ll do my best to keep you updated here!

I hope this email found you well and I look forward to connecting soon!

Thank you & with love, peace, and joy,

Amanda May

Please consider coming to the celebration tomorrow, April 19th (Friday), to Ann Arbor’s Vets Park between the hours of 2 and 5:30. See the schedule of events in the photo here:

I will be there all day (rain or shine) with my artwork for sale! You can even choose your favorite character from the mural to purchase if you’d like!

This mural has been in the works since last fall when I happened to be connected with the project by kismet! I was just talking with a friend at The Sunday Artisan Market one day after my art show last August… and I expressed my desire to paint more murals. Now, here we are! One more mural in the books and hopefully more to come!

Thank you for following along on my journey. I can’t wait to share more updates on Ypsi Bloom Studio & Gallery too! We will have a grand opening May 3rd, 6-10 pm! Look out for another newsletter soon with more information.

With love & joy,

Amanda May