Kristen in a spectacular embroidered floral dress and Yimbee, an anthromorpic queen honeybee with a purple bow

Standing proudly on top of my hive

Welcome to my Sunday newsletter! I call it the gentrification-defying front porch because this is my note where I share pictures and talk about my art projects and activities. It’s also a bit more stream-of-consciousness, and hopefully a lot of fun! If you want more art all the time, follow me at @kristpattern.

This week I’ve had to learn that it’s time to take up space and there’s a good way to be a queen bee, like, Yimbee! Yimbee made her debut at the Greater Greater Washington Spring Soree and she was a delightful surprise to everyone in attendance.

I was a little sad because in two weeks I will be an editor emeritus (for now), but I couldn’t help but see signs of my need to start taking up space and to own my Queen Bee status and be ok with being a blue chair in a brutalist space.

Being that blue chair in the past is what has allowed me to afford a life where I can swing on an adult-sized swing on the Wharf recreation pier in the middle of the day.

It’s helped me find a person who’s a bigger bookstore nerd than me.

And to rediscover textiles and fiber and to see the inspiration for my next chapter in lots of spaces

So I’m gathering my works in progress (WIP) and learning how to start smart.


This week on the podcast, I share some of my personal needs to defy gentrification and on Monday at 11 am Eastern on my weekly livestream I will talk about more concrete things I do to defy gentrification.

Listen up and join me! If you miss it, I’ll be in your email with a recap.

Until next time,

Kristen