Paper Pixels

A Sensory Birthday Zine

Happy birthday to Seven Senses! 

A year ago, I launched this project with little expectation but fueled by creative frustration. I had spent a career helping other artists and it was finally time I helped myself – giving voice to my own ideas. 

I decided to publish every full moon (about once a month), synching to nature’s rhythms and establishing a cadence that felt sustainable. I committed to showing up – for myself and for you – claiming a consistent space in my life for my creative expression. 

In the past, I’ve always had to compartmentalize my interests and talents. I could either be a curator or an artist. I had to choose between writing essays or poetry. To fit within restrictive molds (professional or social), I often abandoned aspects of myself.  With Seven Senses, I can finally converge all my creative parts into one space. I don’t have to be either/or, I can be both/and. The only one who sets the parameters is… me. 

So I’ve let my curiosity lead the way, diving into the topics that perplex, awaken, and transform me – ultimately exploring our human story. I’ve tried to rely on my own experience, revealing myself to you in the process. It’s taken time, trust, and a tribe of supporters.  

This wouldn’t be possible without the platform that

Substack

and

Substack Writers

have built. I’m not usually one to praise new technology, but creating an ad-free space where writers and artists own their content and can get paid for their work feels like a small revolution – at least in my life.  

Even though I’ve never met most of my readers, I feel a deep kindred connection to the community that’s gathered around Seven Senses. So thank you, thank you to all of you who subscribe, read, comment and recommend my work. It means a lot to me and words can’t sum up my gratitude. 

Which is why I’ve decided to turn these pixels into paper and created a Seven Senses Zine to mark this 1 year milestone. As someone who worked for a print magazine, I miss the tangible feel of words on paper. The digital realm casts a wide net, but the analog dimension offers a deeper connection. So I created a tactile experience of Seven Senses, reviewing the past year’s themes through writings, collages, and drawings.  

Seven Senses Zine

The Seven Senses Zine will be mailed out to paid subscribers and collaborators until October 14th. If you’d like to upgrade your subscription, I’m offering 20% off paid subscriptions until then.

I’m also excited to announce a few upcoming changes. Next weekend, I’ll be launching “Present Sense” – a weekly roundup of 7 sensory recommendations. I often find myself wanting to share some of my current inspirations, but they don’t always fit within the monthly theme I’m working on. So I shelf them, in hopes to write about them someday down the line... But why wait for later when inspiration strikes moment by moment? So I’ve decided to share these more spontaneous sensory experiences every weekend with paid subscribers. 

I’ll continue to publish my thematic deeper-dives every full moon, which will remain free and accessible to all. I have so many topics I’m excited to explore and some fun collaborations in the works.  

In the meantime, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and spotlight some of my favorite Seven Senses discoveries. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

In Joy,

Sabrina 

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Zoe Leonard “Strange Fruit (for David)”

SEE

• Identity and illusion take shape in this magical theater piece – “In & Of Itself.”

• The idea of originality reshaped, because everything is a remix.  

• A way of mending loss, thanks to Zoe Leonard’s ‘Strange Fruit.’

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The first song ever written, the ‘Hurrian Hymn’ tablet

HEAR

• The first song ever written was a hymn to the moon.

• A dreamy playlist

  Flow State
  curated for ‘Nature Harmony’.  

• A colorful sonic and visual meditation collaboration with

  Infinite Noise Project
  . 

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Love or pheromones?

SMELL

• An olfactory astrology journey by my friend, perfumer, herbalist Sydney. 

• Spring in the forest thanks to the observations by

  Bryan Pfeiffer
  from
  Chasing Nature

• Love had me pondering about pheromones.

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Photo by Jolene Handy

TASTE

• The ultimate food remix, a treat by

  Jolene Handy
  from
  Time Travel Kitchen
  .

• Hummus, but prettier. 

• The best way to fight off pests is through collaboration – the way of the 3 Sisters.

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My natural paint pigments

TOUCH

• The act of removing can bring new meaning, thanks to erasure poetry. 

• The concept of time is tested with the sacred art of sand mandalas.

• My kitchen became an art-lab, turning my veggies and spices into paint. 

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Jumbled Mantra ‘Reality is a colorful illusion’

BALANCE

• Jumbled Mantras have become a way for me to find harmony through words. 

• Thanks to a movement-for-grief workshop, I danced through loss.

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my collage poem made from rejection notes

ENVISION

• I’ve created video poems, merging my love for words and visuals. 

• Using rejections I received, I learned to turn failure into art. 

• This Wealth of Values collage is helping me reshape my money beliefs.

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