Hi, I’m , an Outsider Artist based in Swindon, UK.
Here’s what you’ll find in my newsletter:
→ My Top-notch art
→ Behind-the-scenes access to my studio and art practice
→ Weekly advice column ‘Drei Fragen’ interviews with other successful artists
→ Lessons learned and personal development insights
Are you interested in Art, Personal Development and Creativity? Come say hi and join our 327-strong community of Outsiders, square-pegs-in-round-holes, non-conformists, misfits, rebels, rule-breakers, mavericks, free spirits, dreamers, visionaries, flâneurs, freaks & weirdos!
📌 NEW HERE? WHAT’S THIS WEEKLY ART PRACTICE ALL ABOUT?
Every Saturday, I share my weekly art practice journey. I’m captivated by the whole process – not just the finished pieces, but everything from influences to materials. It’s like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at an artist’s world.
[If this masterpiece is too long for email, you can read Cream of the Crop in Substack. Or download the Substack app.]
Welcome!
💡 SLART | INSIGHT OF THE WEEK
“Spreading yourself too thin can leave you feeling unfocused and drained, making it hard to give your best to anything.”
I tend to spread myself too thin, and that’s a big part of why I often struggle to focus and feel a bit out of control. Then my energy feels completely zapped, and I can’t seem to give my best to anything. Can you relate?
⏳ MEMENTO VIVERE ART EXHIBITION UPDATE (September 2025)
This week, I’ve been working on the poster for my upcoming exhibition and thought I’d share a bit about the process behind it.
I started by printing out the words MEMENTO VIVERE. Then, I ripped them into two separate pieces: one for Memento and another for Vivere. This simple act gave the text a fragmented, imperfect look that ties into the theme of the exhibition.
To add another layer, I wrote the phrase “Remember to live” on a few Post-it notes and included them in the layout. After arranging everything, I placed the pieces face down on a scanner—Memento at the top and Vivere at the bottom.
To make the image more personal and impactful, I pressed my face against the scanner glass to create a distorted effect, as though representing a lifeless presence. Admittedly, it was a bit of a surreal moment, especially when the office cleaner walked in and caught me mid-process! I quickly tried to act like everything was normal.
The end result has turned out really well, with an effect I think fits the theme perfectly. I don’t have the files with me at the moment, but I’m hoping to share the final version with you soon—maybe next week!
Also, the wonderful had been supporting me with fundraising. She’s a bonafide expert in the field, how blessed I am. My first step is to speak to people who are familiar with my art—those who have either purchased it or attended an exhibition. Then, I push myself far out of my comfort zone by having conversations with them about their potential contributions!
—
📢 WHAT’S NEW WITH SLART?
Search Engine Optimisation: I won’t say much but 388 people searched for the term SLART in Google over the past 7 days compared to 218 in the last 7. Plus 16 Vs 15 clicks from Google search to my website.
Zine Mania: This thread has taken off! I’m so inspired by all the people sharing their stunning zines. It’s even sparked the idea for a one-off collaborative zine between creatives on Substack. It’s going to be brilliant!
We (the thread) discussed the idea of each person creating a single page and observing how they all interconnect. Someone suggested starting with one page, then having another person view it and create their own page in response, and so on.
Each participating artist will print and post five copies of the completed zine, adding a personal touch to each version. If you’d like to contribute a page to our limited-edition zine. Please comment below and I’ll collate some names. The thread expressed a lot of interest too so please share this if you use Substack!
A-N Grant: Darn, I didn’t get it, but I got some great feedback for next time!
“Hi Steven,
Thank you for applying to a-n Artists’ Bursaries 2024-25.
We enjoyed learning about you and the work that you do, and appreciate the time and effort that you have put into your application. After thoughtful consideration, your application has not been successful.
Selecting recipients is always a challenging process. We received 1,119 applications and the demand for bursaries exceeded the available funds.
Unfortunately, a bursary was not awarded because we’re unable to support applications solely for the making of new or unfinished work or projects for exhibition, art fair or sale. Your application would have been stronger with a clearer articulation of the professional development element of the proposal and its impact on your artistic practice beyond the project mentioned.
While we’re unable to offer a bursary on this occasion, we encourage you to apply for future opportunities, which will be shared via our website, newsletter and social media platforms.
Thank you again for your application.
a-n”
Feedback I’ll never forget. Also, I didn’t get the sickly feeling of rejection! So that’s some progress right there.
🎨 THIS WEEK IN MY ART STUDIO
I made a promise to myself last week to spend more time in the studio, even if it was just a single second per week. However, I didn’t manage to even squeeze in that one second. As I mentioned before, I know I’ll be able to spend much more time there once I move house. The exciting part is that my new place will be just a two-minute walk from the studio! I genuinely can’t wait to have such easy access—it’s going to make a huge difference.
That’s all for now.
When you know where you are, you can improve.
Best wishes,
SLART.
Oh, Here’s my last post below if you missed it.
