Viewfinder Lauren Sauder

An interlude is an intervening period of time. A short period when a situation or activity is different from what comes before and after it. A pause between two things.
A few weeks ago, I recorded an episode on buoyancy, and in a lot of ways, I think the year is buoyant in itself. There are ups and downs. It follows its own cadence. I think this is experienced through holidays, seasons, nature, and what the ocean and sky are doing. And, to me, it only feels natural to let myself experience these ups and downs - which ultimately means my mood—my general disposition throughout the year is going to change, too. It’s important for me to find time to pause different activities to focus on others as I experience these changes.
viewfinder is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Reflections
* I intentionally plan interludes into my year.
* An interlude doesn’t have to mean complete rest—but it does have to be an opportunity to make space for fulfillment.

Resources
* side-b—a pay-what-you-want digital and print publication and exploratory creative production. I am on the verge of creative energy and I am making in a lot of new ways. Join me this summer and see an inside look at my process →

Connect
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting - I’m Lauren Sauder, an artist, writer, and mentor. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review. Here are a few more ways you can connect with me:
* Download your viewfinder—Print it, cut it, and carry it with you.
* Download the artist mixtape—a mix of books, playlists, and residencies to provide inspiration and company in the studio.
* Receive letters from me—bi-weekly letters from me about what I’m working through in my creative practice and life.
* Enlist me as your mentor—if you are interested in unlimited support and guidance to grow your creative practice.
* Get in touch with me directly—send an email to laurensauderstudio@gmail.com.

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Source is defined as a place, person, or thing from which something comes or can be obtained. The technical definition is a body or process by which energy or a particular component enters a system. The electronics definition is a part of a field-effect transistor from which carriers flow into the inter-electrode channel
Source is many different things. And I think this is because source is everything.
To me, source is my content. It’s material. the wisdom. an idea.
It evolves into my subject, concepts, themes.
And to see source — to experience it in some way, I must tune in. I must offer awareness, attention. Have a language to describe it. Collect and process it. Work from a foundation, and trust my knowing. Otherwise, it remains in the ether, something to perhaps notice, but all in all pass by.
viewfinder is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Reflections
* Source is what I build ideas with. It informs.
* Source doesn’t have to be one thing.
* Source comes from the outside, and it’s through process, it becomes internal

Resources
* side-b—a pay-what-you-want digital and print publication and exploratory creative production. Come see what I found in my binder →
* I was swimming in my dreams, experiencing source in my dreams
* Buoyancy, viewfinder episode

Connect
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting - I’m Lauren Sauder, an artist, writer, and mentor. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review. Here are a few more ways you can connect with me:
* Download your viewfinder—Print it, cut it, and carry it with you.
* Download the artist mixtape—a mix of books, playlists, and residencies to provide inspiration and company in the studio.
* Receive letters from me—bi-weekly letters from me about what I’m working through in my creative practice and life.
* Enlist me as your mentor—if you are interested in unlimited support and guidance to grow your creative practice.
* Get in touch with me directly—send an email to laurensauderstudio@gmail.com.

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Get full access to Lauren Sauder at laurensauder.substack.com/subscribe

Buoyancy is defined as the ability or tendency to float in water, or air, or some other fluid. It’s also an optimistic and cheerful disposition.
Buoyancy is the ability to float. to move or hover slowly and lightly. I picture my body in water. And the ability to stay on the surface while my body moves as it needs over the water motions.
In my creative practice, it’s almost like the act of staying resilient but without the need to withstand or quickly recover. Instead, it’s going with the flow. Ebbing and flowing as I check-in with myself and respond to what I’m thinking, what I’m feeling, what I’m needing, and what I’m desiring.
viewfinder is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Reflections
* Buoyancy allows me to stay responsive.
* Buoyancy helps me to know that not everything is permanent.
* Buoyancy is not transitioning. It’s not a pivot. It’s not needing to recover from something.

Resources
* side-b—a pay-what-you-want digital and print publication and exploratory creative production

Connect
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting - I’m Lauren Sauder, an artist, writer, and mentor. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review. Here are a few more ways you can connect with me:
* Download your viewfinder—Print it, cut it, and carry it with you.
* Download the artist mixtape—a mix of books, playlists, and residencies to provide inspiration and company in the studio.
* Receive letters from me—bi-weekly letters from me about what I’m working through in my creative practice and life.
* Enlist me as your mentor—if you are interested in unlimited support and guidance to grow your creative practice.
* Get in touch with me directly—send an email to laurensauderstudio@gmail.com.

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Get full access to Lauren Sauder at laurensauder.substack.com/subscribe

Seasons are defined as divisions in the year marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth's changing position with regard to the sun. It’s also added salt, herbs, pepper, or other spices to (food) - more on this later…
For me, a season is defined as period of time that offers the chance to lean into current circumstances, intentions, feelings, and needs. It’s a daily check-in. It’s permission to know nothing is permanent.
viewfinder is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Reflections
* A season should reflect me and only me.
* A season length can vary.

Resources
* Embracing Creative Seasons, blog post
* Trust Your Creative Practice, workbook
* Creative Mantas for Winter Season, blog post

Connect
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting - I’m Lauren Sauder, an artist, writer, and mentor. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review. Here are a few more ways you can connect with me:
* Download your viewfinder—Print it, cut it, and carry it with you.
* Download the artist mixtape—a mix of books, playlists, and residencies to provide inspiration and company in the studio.
* Receive letters from me—bi-weekly letters from me about what I’m working through in my creative practice and life.
* Enlist me as your mentor—if you are interested in unlimited support and guidance to grow your creative practice.
* Get in touch with me directly—send an email to laurensauderstudio@gmail.com.

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Get full access to Lauren Sauder at laurensauder.substack.com/subscribe

Knowing is defined as being done in full awareness or consciousness. The state of being aware or informed. Intentional. Sureness.
When I think about knowing, I think of my gut first. A knowing in my body, in my chest, in my mind - it’s a feeling. An internal instinct. A self-trust.
I view my knowing as a place to make decisions - as I am thinking about this it’s almost like a mentor, something guiding me towards my most honest self. Helping me stay connected to myself, fulfilled with myself.
viewfinder is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Reflections
* I use my foundation to help me stay grounded in my knowing.
* Being self-aware helps me stay in relationship with my knowing
* Finding and listening to my knowing requires patience.
* If I am quiet enough, I believe I hold every single answer.

Resources
* Viewfinder—find quiet and your knowing

Connect
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting - I’m Lauren Sauder, an artist, writer, and mentor. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review. Here are a few more ways you can connect with me:
* Download your viewfinder—Print it, cut it, and carry it with you.
* Download the artist mixtape—a mix of books, playlists, and residencies to provide inspiration and company in the studio.
* Receive letters from me—bi-weekly letters from me about what I’m working through in my creative practice and life.
* Enlist me as your mentor—if you are interested in unlimited support and guidance to grow your creative practice.
* Get in touch with me directly—send an email to laurensauderstudio@gmail.com.

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Get full access to Lauren Sauder at laurensauder.substack.com/subscribe

A foundation is defined as an underlying basis or principle. It can also mean a justification or reason. And my favorite definition is the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level.
When I first graduated with my BFA becoming an artist seemed so flashy. Work for myself, make what I wanted, and sell it. Yet, the truth is, all of that requires so much more—and I forgot to consider myself. My human self.
I think there is incredible value in learning from other people and trying new things out
AND
I think it’s equally important to know myself and the motivations behind why I am trying something. I have to know damn well that I am considering my motivations.
Appointing a foundation establishes a place to root my creative identity and practice. It also helps support and guide my process as I grow and develop artistically.
viewfinder is a listener-supported podcast. To receive new episodes and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Reflections
Exploring my foundation; I am going to share my creative values here. Please take these as examples only. I never want to plant ideas that aren’t yours, or share blueprints for one way of doing it. But I also am aware of how beneficial examples can be. To understand what roots a value and how you can use it as a tool. And I believe in knowing my truths and sharing what has worked for me.
* Curiosity
* Process
* Intention/Reflection
* Multi-disciplinary

Resources
* Viewfinder, an audio class that literally and metaphorically explores the paper viewfinder as a tool to find your creative practice foundations
* Artist mentorship, month-to-month mentorship to explore your foundation together
* Building the House, Mary Oliver (download the essay from the artist's mixtape)

Connect
If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting - I’m Lauren Sauder, an artist, writer, and mentor. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider writing a review. Here are a few more ways you can connect with me:
* Download your viewfinder—Print it, cut it, and carry it with you.
* Download the artist mixtape—a mix of books, playlists, and residencies to provide inspiration and company in the studio.
* Receive letters from me—bi-weekly letters from me about what I’m working through in my creative practice and life.
* Enlist me as your mentor—if you are interested in unlimited support and guidance to grow your creative practice.
* Get in touch with me directly—send an email to laurensauderstudio@gmail.com.

Share



Get full access to Lauren Sauder at laurensauder.substack.com/subscribe