My First Zine Contribution

Last month, I contributed to the very first issue of PATCHWORK, a collaborative zine organized by Invisible Thread Events and created by local artists, writers, and makers here in Central Oregon.

This project felt like a breath of fresh air. An intentional move away from the scroll and into the physical. A celebration of community, art, and the radical act of slowing down.

The theme for this inaugural issue was emergence:

“The process of coming into being, or of becoming important or prominent.”

For a while, I didn’t think I’d contribute anything. I wasn’t sure what I had to say or how to say it. I went back and forth, and the imposter syndrome got loud. But the day before the deadline, I decided to quiet the noise, pull out a few magazines, and make something with my hands.

I ended up creating a collage. There wasn’t a clear plan—just instinct, play, and a willingness to follow where curiosity led. It felt good to work without overthinking. To make something that didn’t need to be perfect.

My surreal collage is inspired by what’s been consuming my thoughts lately: the fraught political landscape in America, the ongoing destruction of our natural resources, and the emergence of diverse grassroots movements rising in response. It’s a call to consciousness, to connection, and to collective action.

I’m proud to have a small piece in this zine, printed alongside so many heartfelt contributions. PATCHWORK is scrappy, thoughtful, and deeply human. It’s mostly black and white, printed simply, and contributors were paid for their work—myself included!

If you come across a copy, I hope you savor it. I hope it reminds you that you’re not alone in trying to create something meaningful in a noisy world.

Get a copy for yourself, your shop, or your zine library!