I feel like I have been in a holding state for some time. I subconsciously, albeit slightly intentionally, started this year off a bit slower. Being precision-invested, I always struggle to find the right words to encounter the hills I will die on. Living in the age of COVID-19 has left many of us with far too few words. There is a sense of displacement inherent within everything, this viable state of unrest, as the word is exponentially renovating itself.
2020 was….unsettling. There was this pervasive feeling of ennui that seemed to permeate everything. For many reasons, I had to step away from this project because for the first time in my life I really just couldn’t articulate things in a way that didn’t come across as disingenuous. My life completely threw some curveballs at me on a personal level, and with all the global events it just became too overwhelming at times. I was hurting and I felt very lost. And sometimes the best way to find yourself is to create a state of quietus for yourself, which is what I did.
During that time, I also thought quite a bit about various projects. This one, especially, seemed like it had lost its soul somewhere. Just what did I want to communicate to the world, anyway? Everyone had bigger problems to worry about than interior design or photography inspiration. But we’re old friends, you and I. I had more to share than just surface-level idleness or regurgitated concepts, as you know.
It was also increasingly difficult to separate my online presence from my personal life. As much as I like to be transparent, grief has a funny way of blurring the lines in ways I’m not particularly fond or proud of. I put up walls a mile high between me and the world outside, only to realize I was struggling to get out, I had to process the strange dichotomy between death and life that seemed inexorably waging silent battles in the periphery of my soul. I wasn’t just standing at a crossroads, but rather on the edge of a great chasm that threatened to swallow me whole. Stepping back, therefore, was the best thing I could have done, and I appreciate everyone who has been patient, reached out to check-in, etc.
But now I’m back.
And, my, how I’ve grown.
So I want to start with a clean slate. I struggled to find the balance, but now I’ve found it and I’m excited to share it with you.
Tamer Animals has undergone so many transitions over the years, as I have, and I’m ready to take it to the next level.
What can you expect from now on? Hint: It won’t be what you expect and yes, it’s newer, stronger, and better. We’re not shiny and new across the board of course, but we’re wiser— much wiser.
Welcome to the Future.
handmade | illustrated | found | curated design