zines (ft. my quest for healthy coping mechanisms)
For most of us, this has been a difficult year. Or maybe a difficult start-to-the-decade, since we’re well into 2021 by now.
Personally, I’m feeling increasing mental malaise, due mostly to the fact that—for the first time in my entire life—I’m not registered for classes. Yep. I have been in school since age two, and now, as of a few weeks ago, I have a master’s degree. It’s done. So what now? The obvious answer to that would be “Now you get a job.” Believe me—I’m trying.
In the interim, though, as I await someone to hire me: I am untethered. And I do not enjoy the feeling. I have been filling my newly-free time with fun activities like piercing my own ears, dyeing my hair, and seeing how many days I can go without sleep—none of which are particularly “healthy” coping mechanisms. Anyway, given that I’ve run out of lobe-space and my hair has somehow turned blue (???), I decided this week that it was time to look into other options.
As such, I have begun to dabble in a new artistic interest—and one that doesn’t cause me any bodily harm, apart from the occasional papercut—Z I N E S.
In case anyone else is searching for purpose, I highly recommend zines, as a potential art-form to explore.
If you don’t know, a zine is “a small-circulation self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced via a copy machine. Zines are the product of either a single person or of a very small group, and are popularly photocopied into physical prints for circulation.” Really, it’s a self-printed pamphlet or mini-magazine wherein the designer writes about something they care about or want to share. Simple.
I’ve been perusing the ones available to download at archive.org. There are so many great ones archived there—ones with titles like “Dykes to Watch Out For,” “Queering Anarchism,” “A Girl’s Guide to Taking Over the World,” and “Getting Rid of the Shame n Shit.” (Aaaand, just like that, my title jealousy has returned).
I’ve also been making some zines of my own and—though mine are not nearly as interesting as “TRANARCHY” by Ev Kronfeld—I’ve been having fun with it. And I’m glad I’ll have some freebies to give out at readings, now that in-person poetry readings are starting up again!
Here are some snippets of the three I’ve been working on:
If I’ve piqued your interest, you can buy each of these in print here. Or, better yet, make your own and we can do a tradesy!
In any case, I hope you’re all taking care of yourselves, amid everything. If zines aren’t your cup of tea, there’s painting, sketching, sculpting, writing (duh). . .and the list goes on and on.
And make sure you’re eating and sleeping, please. I’ll work on that, too.
Thanks for letting me share. I’m grateful you’re here.