25 Comments

Alan Rickman was a graphic designer before he became a full-time actor. (And for my money, his best role was Truly, Madly, Deeply. But there really are no bad Alan Rickman roles!) 😁

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Now see, I did not know that he'd been a graphic designer. How interesting.

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I look forward to and read your emails from top to bottom when it arrives!

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I always wonder if anyone reads all the way to the end! Thank you!

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I read all the way to the end too!

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I always look forward to your newsletters! They are filled with so many wonderful tidbits about art and literature which are two of my favorite things. Thanks for sharing it all! I'm going to look into the fountain pen and inks you recommended (what gorgeous, rich colors and yes, great bottles). I've been afraid to try a fountain pen (I have memories of when I was young and tried one only to make a huge mess!) but your comments just might have given me the courage to go for it! Again, thank you.

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Thanks! I've been thinking that I should make a little video about the care and feeding of a fountain pen. I'll try to do that before the next newsletter. But I will say that the pens I use are very easy to deal with and not at all messy. You can make a big mess with a dip pen, but that's part of the fun of them for me! I just put a lot of newspaper down first.

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I just made a horrendous mess refilling my Lamy just an hour ago. The pen itself is stained now. I'm considering leaving it that way. As 'art' : )

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oh no! Ink can be messy. I can usually wash my Lamy with dish soap and it comes out okay.

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Ooohhh.. I tried spraying with it something but it wasn't dish soap. Thanks for the tip!

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Murphy’s oil soap is even better, and Masters Brush Soap is the best! Cleans up every imaginable art supply!

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Ooohhhh. I only recently started drawing to complement my writing and am now addicted to art supplies. Will be keeping this in mind. Thank you!

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Thank you. I would really appreciate your video if you have the chance to make one. Mostly, though, thanks for giving me the encouragement to give it another try!

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I love Alan Rickman- my favorite movie was Hook (before Harry Potter) and favorite quote from a Robin Hood movie when he declared ‘Cancel Christmas!’ Loved his diary and you are right that is about the only illustrated pages but well worth reading and getting to know the man in his ‘real’ life.❤️

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He's the best!

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I liked Alan Rickman in the Harry Potter movies. i have not seen him in many pieces.

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Thank you for the midnight library. I loved the book and seeing the cover bought the story back. I will thinking about it as i shower in a few minutes. Glad you’re well. Alex.

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It is a thought-provoking book!

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I love your newsletter! I recently found you on Skillshare and signed up for your newsletters. And I did read the newsletter all the way to the end.

Love, Actually is one of my favorite movies, but it is hard to pick an Alan Rickman movie that is my favorite. He was a great actor and he left us too soon.

The diary post of his in your newsletter was one more example of what I would like my travel journals to look like, but I have never taken a drawing class and I am now struggling to learn. I find fundamental classes are geared toward people that want to take this art form to a much higher level than I want. Your classes on Skillshare are great and I have learned so much, so thank you!

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I read "Flower Confidential" years ago and it has definitely influenced how I think about buying flowers. I do NOT want flowers on Vday for this reason, which my boyfriend knew, so obviously didn't buy me any. But during Farmer's Market season, I love buying a bouquet every week from the local farms.

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I LOVED Midnight Library. And I already have 4 fountain pens... will...not..click...the..fountain pen..link....

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Every month!!!

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Amy, I also read your newsletter top to bottom every time it arrives - I love your enthusiasm and your point of view on creativity, especially the everyday aspects. I'm very glad to be on your mailing list, and I always find something to talk about with other folks.

However, I do feel compelled in this instance to offer the curmudgeonly take on Midnight Library: I found it less than compelling from a craftsmanship point of view, but mostly I have serious reservations about its central message, which (without giving too much away to anyone reading here who has not read the book but someday might) I think does a disservice to anyone who is carrying around any kind of depression. Basically it feels to me it's coming from a very oversimplified sense that you can just ... decide ... to "turn that frown upside down," and the implications of that point of view aren't great. Sure, it's not a book to be taken too literally, but I still have concerns.

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I love that Alan Rickman had an illustrated diary. So cool! Also thank you for this excellent book recommendation. It reminds me of Invisible Cities by my currently favorite author, Italo Calvino.

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I read Calvino when I was in Italy (always fun to read a novel from the place when you're in the place) and I can say, Midnight Library is no Calvino, but yes, it's very much that kind of half-fantastical, philosophical vibe.

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