Me & My Mentee; In Memory
Connecting one-on-one, IRL
This is the final post in a 3-part series (read the first one here and the second one here) about how I’m finding creative inspiration by engaging with the analog world in new-to-me ways and exploring new paths with curiosity and without expectations. It’s about putting down devices—or, as psychologist Jonathan Haidt refers to them, “experience blockers”—and being more intentional with how I spend my time. I hope you are inspired to do the same.
I am “friends” with people I have met on Instagram and Facebook—you might even be one of them. I’ve never met most of these online friends IRL, but we’ve shared enough digital conversations that we feel like we know each other.
Cool… or weird? Maybe both? I’m not sure.
In going back to my core beliefs—that art should be fun, fearless, fuss-free, and feel-good—I decided I wanted to lend my knowledge and talents to help someone. Just one person, in a meaningful way… In Real Life!
Doesn’t get more feel-good than that.
Enter Free Arts NYC. This organization empowers youth from underserved communities through art and mentoring programs to develop their creativity, confidence, and skills to succeed. One of their programs pairs an artist with a 7th-grade student to develop a portfolio to apply to NYC public arts high schools.
I was accepted to this program as a mentor, and was paired with a delightful young woman who loves drawing characters! We’ve met up in Central Park and I’ve given her a VIP-visit to The Met, thanks to my volunteer role. Wish us luck in her portfolio preparation and school applications this fall!
* A SPECIAL NOTE *
I originally planned on writing in more detail in this post about my mentorship with FreeArts. Instead, I want to share with you the sad loss of Natalie, someone I met IRL over 20 years ago, and then continued a friendship with online.
Natalie and her friend Angela visited NYC from Canada in 2002. At the time, I was a volunteer with Big Apple Greeter, an organization that pairs New Yorkers with visitors to the city to spend a non-touristy afternoon together. I was paired with Natalie and Angela (and another friend).
These ladies and I clicked immediately. I don’t remember all the places we went that day, but I vividly remember their vibe. They were so. damn. excited. to be in New York City. Natalie had fiery red hair and a sassy spirit. And a great laugh! We all chatted like we knew each other for decades.
This was before social media, so, after their return to Canada, Natalie and I stayed in close touch over email, sort of like pen-pals. She loved reading my stories about my life in NYC and she would tell me about her life in Canada.
In 2006, Natalie and Angela traveled back to New York and we met up again. According to this photo Angela sent to me, I took them to Brooklyn!
Once social media became a thing, we all followed each other but didn’t keep in as close touch over email. I never saw them in IRL again that I can recall, and, as life happens, we spoke less online over time, and, eventually, not at all.
Recently, Angela contacted me via Instagram to let me know that Natalie passed away from colon cancer. She said that she and Natalie would discuss my Instagram art and the shenanigans I would share, especially those of my cat, Mona. They talked fondly about those trips to NYC and our meet-ups. I had no idea that they were paying attention to my Instagram all this time. I certainly didn’t know it was a topic of discussion. But it wasn’t really about Instagram or what I was sharing online. It was the memories of our IRL meet-ups—laughing together, exploring the city, and having fun with each other—that inspired those conversations for so many years.
Doesn’t get more feel-good than that.
In honor of Natalie, connect with a friend. IRL.
Much love to Natalie’s family and friends during this difficult time, and thank you to Angela for sending the photos and piecing together the timeline with me.
xo Lori
Beautiful. ❤️