Autism Brothers Books 💙: It Takes A Village

Generosity and Gratitude in Creativity

🎨 Welcome

How do we show gratitude for the generosity shown to us…in our creativity, in our relationships with others, in our relationship with ourself?

The Kickstarter project to launch my new inclusive book series just finished. I’m delighted to share that we were able to meet our funding goal (at the last moment!) thanks to the 35 backers who pledged their support. I’m full of gratitude to everyone who supported my efforts to launch Autism Brothers Books, a creative project so very close to my heart.

Creative work has deep value to humanity. Last year, I wrote about ancient cave artists and how their artwork in places like Chauvet Cave in France and Rhino Cave in Botswana - creativity that has survived for 65,000-70,000 years - can speak to us about this deep value.

The desire to create, and also the rituals surrounding creativity, have been integral to humanity since the dawn of civilization, as proven by studies of art in caves dating back tens of thousands of years…This desire to communicate, to reach out across the millennia or across the stars…or both…this is what we’re all doing when we create.

The everyday reality of working artists in today’s modern American society is, of course, vastly different than the life of those ancient artists thrust deep in caves, depriving themselves of oxygen to reach altered states of consciousness in an effort to reach out to the sacred. Or is it? I believe there is still a thread that links us - all of us - back to these early ancestors. It’s that thread of connection. The thread of community. The thread of a representative from the village we’ve formed contributing in a unique and soulful way. And other members of the village stepping forward to support that representative - that artist - in her work.

I must write it again. Gratitude. I’m filled with it.

The topic of money and art / being paid for my creative work…I will admit here in all honesty that I avoid it and I feel uncomfortable talking about it. My writing colleague and friend, Andi Cumbo, has recently co-founded Mountain Ash Press to help creatives with this important part of the picture. I recommend checking it out for great advice.

Even though I don’t like discussing it, money is a foundational issue for my creative work. Without the support of my online community - you all - my books don’t get printed and into the hands of kids who have been traditionally excluded from books. My paintings don’t appear in front of the person who is searching for that flower of hope hidden in each of my Lupita portrait designs. My writing doesn’t reach people who will read my message of “keep going” in-between the lines.

So when members of my village step forward and give from your own generous hearts…give of your money & time, and use your voice to speak encouraging words…it’s overwhelming for me. Overwhelming in a beautiful way - to be the artist, paintbrush in one hand, a cup overflowing in the other.

Gracias. ❤️‍🔥

Good journey,

~Emily Lupita

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🌈 Next Steps - Cappadocia, Türkiye - Book One

Now that the funding is in place to publish the first book in the series, it’s time to get to painting. Yay!✨ I want to share a video that shows how I create my designs. I enjoy making these progression videos. Let me know what you think in the comments.

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🦋 Keep Going

I have this dream of translating the stories in my head - visions complete with the artwork as well - into books. Books that young humans (and all aged humans) can hold in their hands and find joy inside. I’ve had this dream since I was, myself, a young human, folding up handmade books I’d drawn with crayons on the insides of brown paper grocery bags. That’s how long I’ve been working toward this moment…and things feel like they are just getting started.

If you have a creative dream, please - keep going. Dream big and work small. Learn how to hyper-focus and how to rest. Understand the boundaries of your unique window of tolerance and stay within the light as much as you can. Draw / sketch / dance / sculpt / speak of yourself living your dream, holding your dream, enjoying your dream.

I’m cheering you on. Make your dreams come true.

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👩🏻‍💻 Instagram

I have a goal to post my new portraits and videos on my Instagram account as they flow out. I hope to connect with you there as well. @EmilyLupitaExplores

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🙏🏼 A Prayer

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❤️‍🔥