There’s a fabulous retrospective of the artist Ruth Asawa on view now at MoMA in NYC, through February 7, 2026. Asawa is best known for her hanging sculptures made of woven wire (the header photo of this post is the shadow of one of them), but this exhibition really opened my eyes to the breadth … Continue reading Ruth Asawa’s Sketchbooks
A few months ago, I wrote about my latest work notebook, a vintage Filofax. It’s working so well for me that I wish I had bought a Filofax in this size years ago to use for this purpose. I can’t help regretting all those wasted decades of using random office supply closet notebooks (as well … Continue reading How to Use a Notebook When Your Life Isn’t Busy
I recently watched a documentary about Brian Eno, which was streamed online as part of a 24-hour event where you could watch it up to 6 times. Each showing is different, generated randomly from hundreds of hours of interview footage from across Eno’s career– a very long and interesting career including his time as a … Continue reading Brian Eno’s Notebooks
I found this week’s notebook addict via a blog post by our previous addict, Warren Ellis. He linked to this Twitter thread , where screenwriter John Rogers talks about methods for notebook-keeping, and shared the photo below: It accompanies his first principle of notebook-keeping: First, a dedicated notebook for every project. This notenbook is creative … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: John Rogers
Gerard McNeil was featured here as a Notebook Addict of the Week over 10 years ago. In that post, we saw some photos of the notebooks he uses to capture creative ideas, and a few interiors. Recently he got back in touch and shared a link to his website, where you can get a more … Continue reading Gerard’s Visual Journals
Here’s some tips from a few artists about how to get yourself going with a sketchbooking (or notebooking) habit: Indian artists offer tips on how to start sketchbooking in 2020. I feel like my own sketchbook has been rather stagnant lately so I need to take some of these insights to heart! Mumbai-based artist Sameer … Continue reading How To Start Sketchbooking
Shaunta Grimes at The Every Day Novelist has some interesting posts about notebooking. This one was particularly appealing to me: 10 Books That Will Make You Want to Keep a Notebook I was familiar already with a couple of the notebooking books she recommends. Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a classic, and contains the … Continue reading Books to Inspire Notebooking
Many people have the problem of loving notebooks but not knowing how to fill them, as described in this article by Claire Swinarski: As a writer, I’m often gifted journals. I’m also a total sucker for beautiful notebooks and can spend way too long perusing the paper section at Target. That means I’m the owner … Continue reading What if You Love Journals but Hate Journaling?
“[Internationally known fiber artist] Cindy Steiler is always working, in her studio, “drawing with thread.â€, during a European artist residency, teaching students how to push the boundaries of fiber. She works in an antique mall, browsing eerie photos of women she doesn’t know. She works in a grocery store aisle, scribbling an idea into her … Continue reading A Fiber Artist’s Sketchbook
This week’s addict is the blogger at Original Impulse, where she offers “support and resources to help you love your creative life.” She was faced with a decision about what to do with all these filled notebooks! “As I unpack and move into my new home, I am faced with a decision: do I … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Cynthia Morris
