Hello Reader,

I still have my scissors from elementary school, with my name taped around the handle. I wonder what distance of cuts they've made over the decades?

I put them to use this week; I'm working on a collage for my own interpretation of the current open call, The Path to Inspiration. The open call asks:

Where and how do you find inspiration? If Inspiration were a place, draw a map or create a diagram about how to find it.

Read more about The Path to Inspiration here. The Idea Session replay is available for all to watch on the submissions page until July 22 and always in the UPPERCASE Circle (access for paid print subscribers only).

Here's a submission by Maryna Salagub with an illustrated diagram:

Maryna says: "I find inspiration not only when sitting in studio and painting, but also outside of studio. I go to the museum or gallery. I pick up a beautiful book in the library. I go for a walk. I listen to music or podcast or I let my mind wonder around while I am cooking or packing lunchboxes. I look at all my life’s activities as foraging inspiration. I intentionally go to paces where I naturally feel inspired. I get lost at unknown trail. I stumble on a flower I had newer seen before. I read and article about square foot gardening and dream of how much flowers and vegetables I can grow at my backyard in summer."
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​Colette Dionne created this map of her inspiration:
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"Each time I visit ANY library, I become an explorer curious about the universe and discover new worlds that will lead to ideas. When I browse through ANY thrift store, I cannot help examine each item asking"what could this be other than what it is?” It's a lot of creative mind work but trains my brain to expand on concept and urges me to make something in my studio. Museums are intriguing places. Their lofty inner and outer spaces cause my soul to dream. The Architecture always calls me to take photos from curious angles and views and play with composition that may end up in sketch books later. For example, visiting the Guggenheim in Bilbao Spain, changed my life! It made my heart sore. I was a stone sculptor then. All of Frank Gehry’s buildings have that effect on me."

The other open call for issue #71 is about our creative paths...

Whether it has been winding and unpredictable or you’ve always had a clear direction, our paths to creativity are uniquely personal. What have been the significant points on your creative path? Where did you start out? Where are you now? What did you learn on the way?

How did you get from there to here?

Get the details on this open call here.

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​Juliana Ribeirao shared this recollection about how her mom set her on a creative path:

As a little girl growing up in a tiny, sugar cane surrounded Brazilian village in the early 80's, I remember my mom stitching our clothes one by one. Talented as she is until today, in many hot, sweaty afternoons she spent lots of hours creating our outfits, a coffee in hand. She would measure us and use every little bit of fabric and lace scraps to make sure my sisters and I would look adorable in our little dresses: some included angels' wings too! We would be then, in front of our church in the biggest of our town's events! Those memories still live in my soul, as the little angel girl also learned to stitch and loves it to this day. Now, as time passed way too quickly and miles away from home, I discovered my new favourite crafts: bookmaking and story telling. And yes, I stitch every single notebook I make, just like my mother did with our little dresses, and I hope they will find a home as creative as I was so lucky to have.

The newest issue, UPPERCASE #70 (July-Aug-Sept) is in my shop! Stockists in Canada and the USA should be receiving their copies very soon. The new issue is in transit, on a freighter overseas to Central Books and the roster of UK shops and galleries that stock UPPERCASE.

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➜ If you're looking for physical copies of some hard-do-find older back issues, Central Books UK has many of them! Click here to see a list. Central Books offers a "3 for 2" discount—offering 33% off when you purchase 3 or more copies with the code "Up23".

➜ In my shop, back issues are 20% off when you purchase 3 or more. Popular issue #69 is now a back issue.

➜ The UPPERCASE Archive provides access to digital editions of the the first 54 issues of the magazine. Great for reading on an iPad during summer vacation. CA$16/month for access, cancel any time!

As always, I am grateful for your support of UPPERCASE magazine through subscriptions. I forgot to turn off the 'perfectcircle' discount yesterday, so it is still valid for CA$15 off subscriptions and renewals.

Thank you!

Use the code perfectcircle
for CA$15 off subscriptions and renewals.

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This message has been sent to a general list. ​ If you've already pre-ordered Jot, thank you!!! If you're already an UPPERCASE print subscriber, thank you!!! ​(Please refer to your order receipts from shop@uppercasemagazine.com.)

I will feature some readers' letters and postcards in the book and use the submissions to design one of the signature dust jackets for the Encyclopedia of Inspiration.

​click here for the full instructions​
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​What's this Jot book all about?

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Janine Vangool​
UPPERCASE publishing inc
1052 Memorial Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 3E2
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