Jane's Newsletter

Hello, dears. Hope you’re staying hydrated this summer. I’ll keep this newsletter short ❤️ 

Lots of change is waiting for me around the corner. I’m dreading it, but I know there will be some gems mixed in the mess. I’m writing to you before I get swept away.

I just completed a six week acting intensive at The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC, which was a lovely experience. I’ve also been enjoying other creative endeavors lately, such as designing websites and drawing digital avatars.

Table of Contents

• The Neighborhood Playhouse

• The Artist’s Mindful Tool Kit

• Building Your Website & Avatar

• Etsy Shop

The Neighborhood Playhouse

I spent the first half of my summer enjoying The Neighborhood Playhouse’s Six Week Summer Acting Intensive. The school teaches the Meisner Technique, an acting technique I heard about way back in high school. It was surreal getting to walk through these red doors over a decade later.

The experience helped me appreciate that everyone’s artistic journey is different. It made me grateful for my own journey, even for the parts that feel behind, invisible, and unhatched. It also helped me appreciate how far I’ve traveled, the obstacles I’ve overcome, and the delusional faith I have in my art.

Admiring talented peers, learning from teachers, and staying focused for six weeks gave me the fuel and confidence to keep going. Before the program, I was feeling stuck and small, like a pebble drowning under a rock in the river. But now I feel dislodged and reinvigorated. I’m excited for where I’ll flow to next, and I hope it’s just as fun and exciting as studying at The Neighborhood Playhouse.

P.S. I must emphasize how many talented actors I had the privilege to work with in this program. Many of these folks are going to be on your TV one day, just you wait.

The Artist’s Mindful Tool Kit

I’ve been feeling unrooted and stressed lately, so let’s revisit old mindfulness tips from my previous newsletters. Hopefully revisiting them will nudge me in the right direction.

• No. 1— Freeze and jar your food: Oh, that’s cute. This is great during rehearsals. I should have followed this one during the acting intensive! I bought too many take-out dinners after long days.

• No. 2— Buy a lunch box: Okay, I still stand by this one. I love my lil’ lunch box. I’m more likely to forget to pack lunch if I opt for the classic plastic bag.

• No. 3— Make the bed: I’ve been bad about following this one lately. But after my acting teacher echoed this tip, I’m back at it again. Because if you have a bad day, at least you can come home to a made bed.

• No. 4— Turn to your healthy habits during stressful times: I needed this reminder. When we’re stressed, it’s really easy to let go of what grounds us in exchange for false productivity, quantity over quality, and short-term relief.

• No. 5— I asked YOU for tips on how to make self-tapes less draining: Many of you suggested setting a limit on how many takes you allow yourself. I found this to be extremely helpful, so thank you!

• No. 6— The seeds you’ve planted will continue to grow when you’re still: Stillness is so scary. I’m still learning how to feel comfortable with it.

• No. 7— Give unwinding your 100% focus: My recovery is best when I give relaxation my full attention. When my mind won’t settle down, I have to relax twice as long just to feel half as recovered. This tip is from a great YouTube Video, by the way.

• No. 8— Evaluate your relationship with your phone: My phone and AI are slowly destroying some of the best things in life.

Building Your Website & Avatar

If you’re in need of a website for your artistic portfolio or a digital avatar for your personal brand, I’d love to help! I’ve been offering these services for free over the past few months and am now beginning to take on paid work as I explore this more seriously. Since I’m still building my skills, I’m offering everything at a low, accessible rate.

Web design

I’m currently designing and building websites on the platform WIX for $90. WIX makes managing and updating a website super easy, which is why I love it for my own sites. I’ll work closely with you to develop a design that aligns with your artistic vision.

Note: WIX allows its users to publish for free, however, its free plan includes a small WIX advertisement on the published site. If you wish to get rid of that advertisement, then you would need to opt into WIX's paid plan.

Here’s a sample of websites I’ve built, including my own:

Digital avatars

I love drawing digital avatars for people building a personal brand or who simply want a fun digital sticker for social media. Send me a photo you want me to draw, and I’ll make you a high-resolution portrait with up to 5 background colors. I’ll also format the image into digital stickers for social media and cropped circular profile icons.

I’ll draw your avatar portrait for $30. If your image includes an additional detailed item, such as a complex prop, tattoo, or piece of jewelry, I’ll draw the item for an additional $15.

I don’t use AI or a fancy filter app to make these avatars— I draw these images by hand using my Apple Pencil.

Etsy Shop

I’ve added some new sticker designs to my etsy shop! If you enjoy ASMR, I have a few ASMR-themed stickers you might enjoy.

asmrstudyhall.store

Talk to you soon! Xoxo - Jane 💕