Hey Subscribers! I’ve missed chatting with (or at) you on this platform. The last bit of summer has slipped away as I’ve been busy moving homes (still in Savannah) and enjoying some out-of-town visitors. Add on those renaissance hobbies, catching up on work, and a dash of food poisoning and we have a Substack drought on our hands! Oh no!
But don’t you fret, we’re BACK, baby. And we’ll kick off with my hot topic of the month…. (Is this newsletter just a space for me to talk about any creative endeavor that’s not painting? Probably).
Speed Dating is like Dipping Dots, which is like The Future
Have you ever had a good idea that people are skeptical to get on board with? If you want to feel better about your experience, just imagine me arguing with the manager at the Savannah Buffalo Wild Wings.
Me: “Hi! Would you like to help change lives and hang up a poster for our speed dating event?”
BWW Manager: (looking tired and annoyed) “No, Buffalo Wild Wings Corporate doesn’t care about changing lives.”
Me: “You and I both know that lonely men come here every day to watch football and eat chicken alone. You can’t deny that Speed Dating would change their lives.”
BWW Manager: “We can’t hang up your poster, ma’am”.
I then walk out and hang the poster on a light pole in the parking lot.
A similar pattern continued at Planet Fitness, and then I just went ahead and stuck a poster in the Taco Bell Drive thru without asking anyone. I also put a poster in the bathroom area at a Chipotle…. and then Ellen, my co-event planner, received a cold, scary email about how “Solicitation is strictly prohibited at Chipotle”. Lesson learned: corporate chains don’t care about the lonely people. Ironically, corporate chains are where a lot of the lonely people eat and hang out.
Ellen and I held the first speed dating event this past May. Titled “Spring Fever”, we had a little over 20 folks show up at Dreamhouse to mix and mingle. This next round (a week from today) Dreamhouse will host “Summer Simmer” Speed Dating at Front Porch Improv down the street. The first round I think at least two couples and two friend groups were formed (at least that night after the event), so I really think we’re on to something.
Reasons why speed dating is the future:
It’s a way to meet people outside of your circle (that’s not an app)
It’s not a dating app
Instead of sitting at a dinner with someone for two hours (and already knowing within the first 5 minutes you aren’t interested), you get two minutes to figure out someone’s initial vibe
It’s refreshing! It’s not a dating app!
If it becomes normalized, folks won’t feel so trapped by dating apps anymore
It’s a unique meet-cute
It’s silly, low-risk, and fun!
It’s purely an in-person ordeal. Rare!
It’s not a dating app
Be the Change You Want to See in the (Dating) World
Can you tell I really don’t want to go back on dating apps? I would love to live in a world where there are other ways for people to meet. Apps have certainly proved to be an effective way to expand one’s dating pool, but they personally wear me out. Nothing against the use of apps- my sister met her fiancé on Hinge. (Hi Austin! You’re so nice!! Can’t wait to be related forever!) But most of the time, it’s a true racket.
This worldwide issue of swiping and ghosting and sub-par coffee dates is bigger than my own experience. I’m thinking big… I’m thinking societal change here. What if we had a world where speed dating was normalized? Where it’s not a weird suggestion for a weeknight activity, and that people can show up and know it won’t be a room full of creepwads. A world where I don’t have to beg corporate restaurant managers to care about my little event and its positive repercussions for football fans everywhere. Where I can walk past a group of yopros at a brewery and hear them exclaim that “speed dating is the MOVE on Thursday night”, accompanied by comradely fist bumps. Yeah bro!
Specifically, our event is also advertised as not just romantic “dating”, but pretty much you can sign up to make friends or network too. People just need to mingle! It’s important. Also it’s tricky to manage gender ratios and gender preferences, so we’re keeping the pressure low and designing the event to be open to all folks who just want to sit across a table from some strangers. They can come to network, make friends (another struggle amongst the modern adult), or find a potential date. The possibilities are endless. And that’s my renaissance rant on how speed dating is the future. You are blessed to spread the buzz. Now back to art.
What’s on My Desk Today?
Thanks for asking! Today my desk is relatively blank, as I’m in-between some projects right now. To the upper left is some art made by the members of my Artist’s Way book club. We had a “bad art party” and made art without the pressure of being perfect. To the right of my computer is a ceramic palette that my studio-mate Lauren made for me, as well as an “Artist’s Prayer” pulled from The Artist’s Way.
What’s for Sale Today?
Thanks for asking!
Fine Art of the Week
This large gouache painting of cows has been on the wall in my studio for about a year. She needs a home! Someone buy it so my studiomate Sophie doesn’t have to look at it anymore. She’s from Seattle and doesn't know what cows are!
The piece is about 35”x40” and painted on watercolor paper. Email me at alligracehall@gmail.com for inquiries. I’m ready for her to go to a good home, so at this point I’m willing to negotiate price :)
Society6 Item of the Week
My lifelong friend Catherine has this shower curtain in her Manhattan apartment and texted me last week “I can’t tell you how many compliments I get on my shower curtain”.
Etsy Print(s) of the Week
Surprise! I created a small Still Life section in my Etsy Shop. Enjoy!
And… an upcoming Dallas Workshop!
Dallas friends! I’m having a workshop in September at the Mata Hari House and I’d love to see you there! Open to all creativity levels- we’ll just be drawing and painting pretty flowers etc. Use the code friendsandfamily to get $15 off your ticket!
What’s Inspiring Me Right Now?
Thanks for asking! This month most of my creative energy was channeled into decorating my new room. I painted the walls “Prairie Rose” pink and also bought a real *oil painting* to hang above my bed (shown below). The original paintings to the left of my mirror (shown above) I got a while ago from French artist Cette Maison Bleue as well as LA-based artist Sidney Howard. Both are friendly ladies who are close to my age and do what I do in their different corners of the world. The perfect circular lamp was made by my marvelous pal Nathan Beck.
The lithograph above my chair to the right is an editioned print I found at a thrift store. I feel like the vibe of my space is inspired by warm deserts and French parlors and my illustration background.
That’s all for now! Signing off from Societal-Change Headquarters,
Allison “Prairie Rose” Hall