growing like moss (slowly)

Hi friends!

I'm sure many of you have noticed the mass exodus from certain social media platforms in the wake of recent events. I've been thinking for a long time about leaving meta but I always felt that instagram especially was something I couldn't ignore. Everyone uses it (used*), from other artists, customers, friends, and galleries. It got to the point where fighting the algorithm just wasn't something I wanted to do. My followers couldn't see my posts without me paying for sponsored ads, and when I scrolled through my feed all I would see were recommended posts and ads. I'm honestly just tired of it and it's not something I feel is worth fighting anymore.

Detail: When There Were No Frogs, 2025

So I looked to what my peers are doing. I've started a bluesky account but I've never used twitter so who knows how that'll go for me. Maybe I just don't like the immediacy of social media. (@melaniebarnett.bsky.social)

When There Were No Frogs, 2025. Ceramic ^6 oxidation. 17.5” x 14.5” x 28”

a little ceramic moss tuft sitting in a cluster of juniper. ^6 oxidation

In the spirit of growing slow (like moss) I'm trying out this blog format. I have no idea if anyone will ever read it but maybe I'll find more joy in sharing my work and process through a longer format such as this. I'll be sharing things that I would normally share on social media - progress updates, studio findings, finished work, upcoming exhibitions/events, etc. I can't see myself holding to a regular schedule (I've never been that kind of person when the schedule is self-inflicted) but I'll post semi-regularly.

I put a "subscribe to mailing list" thingy at the bottom of my webpages. This is a trial and error thing, I won't know how it works until someone signs up (I am canonically technologically inept)

Thanks for checking this out :) Already I'm way more excited about sharing things in this format than I ever was with short-form content.

moss sporophytes found in late autumn in Medicine Hat, AB.