Visioning UPPERCASE
Last summer during the Tribe retreat, we spent an afternoon making vision boards. We had tons of magazines, posterboard, and gluesticks at the ready. While we talked about our dreams for the upcoming year, we poured over the magazines, looking for images and words that spoke to us and captured some of what we were visioning for our futures. In addition to the typical glossies that you pick up at the grocery (Oprah, Whole Living, Real Simple), I brought along some of my favorite magazines that are more like journals, catalogs of art and creativity — UPPERCASE, Mingle, and Kinfolk to name a few. As I found images of cameras (even an SX-70!) and hearts and bikes that I wanted to put on my vision board, I knew for certain I wanted to cut out the masthead of UPPERCASE and use it for my vision of the future. I was clear that one of my big goals and dreams for the coming year was to have my photography and writing published in UPPERCASE, a magazine I adore that features amazing work by all types of artists.
Not long after returning home from the coast of Oregon, I began working on a submission to UPPERCASE. Like I tell my students about publishing academic research, the surest way not to get published somewhere is to not submit your work. Thus, I took my own advice, and crafted a story and selected accompanying photos. After working it through many times, writing and re-writing, pouring over photos, I took the plunge and submitted it. And then I waited, asking the Universe to do its thing (please and thank you). I journaled about it and reminded myself to trust the process. I repeated a mantra to myself that I had done my part, did the work, put myself out there, and now I had to believe this creative endeavor would take the course it needed to take.
And then it happened. I heard back from Janine Vangool, the editor of UPPERCASE. She said she liked my photography and my writing, and said she’d keep me in mind as she worked on future issues of the magazine. A month or so later, I heard from Janine again, saying she wanted to use my story and some photographs in an upcoming issue of UPPERCASE. YES! I did my part and the Universe did its thing.
Issue #16 has recently shipped to subscribers and stockists, and it landed in my mailbox just this week. I can’t tell you how ecstatic I was to rip open the plastic covering, and turn to the Table of Contents to see my name listed. I was beyond thrilled to then flip to page 29 and see my words, my photographs, and me (self-portraits, you know!) among the pages of this magazine I so adore. I also love that the photographs included in the piece are a combination of self-portraits and Polaroids shot with Impossible Project film. I feel grateful and so happy to have realized another creative dream.
To help celebrate this milestone and my photography and writing being published in the pages of UPPERCASE, Janine is sponsoring a giveaway of a year subscription to the magazine! How awesome is that?!? For your chance to win the subscription, please leave a comment on this post by Sunday, January 27th at midnight Central time. I’ll select a winner using a random number generator and let you know who won!
As always, thanks for being a part of my creative journey. You cheering me on means more to me than you know. xoxo
Tags: Community, Impossible Project, Mantra, Polaroid, Self-Portrait, Tribe, Universe
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HOORAY! Bravo! I’m so excited – you inspire me. I can’t wait to see in print. xoxo
Thanks, Lindsey! xo
Congratulations on a dream come true! You encourage me to go after my dreams and be in action–it’s so easy, though discouraging, to just sit back and dream and not really PURSUE those dreams. Thank you!
Thanks, Caroline. And yes, it is easier to sit back and not act on our dreams. But I think we have to be proactive and work toward what we want!
Congrats, Meghan! That is so awesome!
congratulations! you are truly an inspiration to so many, myself very much included. you can’t get published if you don’t submit – absolutely. way to go!!
Thanks so much, Alison!! I hope to encourage others to put themselves out there! xo
Meghan, way to go get ‘em! Your energy is very inspiring. Love that you are having such an amazing time creatively, keep it going and keep sharing your process. What an awesome outcome to your effort.
So, so cool! I can’t wait to pick up a copy and see your work for myself. Your know, I look at my vision board every morning, and some things are starting to manifest themselves.
Thanks, E! Power in visioning the futures we want. xo
Yay! Yay! Yay! I love everything about this! Your faith in yourself and the Universe is always so inspiring to me, and here again you’ve made something amazing happen! I can’t wait to go grab a copy so I can pour over it myself, and get a fabulous buzz as I look over your work and think proudly to myself, “I know her!!”
So proud of you!! 
Thanks for your constant love and support, Rebecca!! xoxo
I love Uppercase for both it’s design aesthetic and also because it’s made in Canada. Congratulations to you on being published in it-that’s a HUGE accomplishment. I agree-sitting around wishing some something is not going to get you anywhere. You have to be willing to take a risk, do the work and put it out there. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Here’s to going out on a limb, which is by the way, where the sweetest fruit lies. YAY! for you!
Thank you, Lelainia! It feels HUGE to me, so I appreciate you saying that. Let’s all go get that sweet fruit!
Meghan,
Talent+focus+commitment+doing the work+just the right amount of letting go = a dream realized! Congratulations! I’m trying really hard to be inspired (easy) and not jealous (harder, but it’s jealous in a good way!) Woo hoo to you!
Thanks so much, Marcia!!! Please go with inspired
Congratulations, I feel inspired when I hear wonderful stories like yours. Maybe there is hope for me yet.
I’m glad you feel inspired, Page. There is ALWAYS hope! Hold on to it.
Oh my goodness, I am over the moon excited for you. I remember you mentioning this dream at squam and just love that it came true. Congratulations! Way to Go! YOU totally ROCK!!
xo
YES!! I remember that, too. Thanks so much, Jennifer
xo
You my friend are GETTING IT DONE!!! So proud of you and all you are accomplishing this year! What a beautiful publication. So worthy of your work. Inspiring, truly.
Thanks so much, Em. You have been a big part of me moving forward. Thank you for all you support and love. xo
I am so so so proud of you – you tell the universe what you want, you do the work, the hard ass work and you are granted what you want. I want to say I knew you when…because girl the universe and YOU have been making shit happen and I am so very proud of you. Seriously …grinning ear to ear because I know how much work you’ve done!
so much love!
xoxo
You are a star of inspiration in so many ways! Congratulations
Oh Meghan, I am so very proud of you and proud FOR you. You know how much I admire you for putting yourself out there and having taken that as inspiration to do it myself I’m grateful for the reminder today to “trust the process”. I love Uppercase (yay Canada!) and I’m heading out to pick up a copy today. You and the universe, my friend. Big things. BIG! xoxo
YAY! This is SO SO awesome Meghan! I remember sitting at the breakfast table at Sqaum and talking about this…and thinking to myself it was only a matter of time before I’d be seeing your work everywhere. You emit that kind of energy
Congrats on the piece!
What a thrill!! I’m so happy for you. Can’t wait to get this new issue and see your beautiful face! Congratulations, you deserve it.
Hi Meghan! I am so thrilled for you! It’s wonderful news!! I was super excited to see you in this issue (and then to realize that my instagram shot was in there, as well!) So happy that your dreams are coming true!!
Love,
Bel
xo
PS – My subscription is on it’s last issue… crossing my fingers that I win!
Oh Meghan, what fabulous news. Congratulations!
Congratulations! You are truly an inspiration to follow dreams.
Hi Meghan, this is so cool, congratulations!
I’m very happy for you and to see your dreams are coming true, you deserve it
Meghan, that is cooler than cool, and your quote about the surest way to not get published is resonating with me — thank you. Congratulations!
Awesome – that is way cool. Love watching your photography grow into what it has
Wow Meghan! Congratulations! This is so amazingly exciting and sooooo cool! Love your story and so proud of you! Whoo Hoo! Way to go sistah!
So awesome, yay for you! Relish this.
wow girl, you are making. it. happen. all over the place these days. congratulations on a dream come true–and so well-deserved! xo
So so exciting! I admire your drive, Meghan. Way to go get what you want! Creative people rock.
Such fantastic news. Hurrah! xox
contest aside, you are a shiny star and i am not at all surprised that you are realizing your dreams! enjoy every moment
xo
You are a ROCKSTAR! I’m so thrilled for you. It’s a goal of mine to get my work in more publications this year and your words are so true: to make it happen you literally have to make it happen and go for it!
I’m so happy for you!! I am so glad I renewed my subscription so I can see you in print. I have the masthead of Oprah on my VB, I have my eyes set on Uppercase now. I love that publication. So great that your work is getting the BIG audience it deserves!
BRAVO!!!!!
I’m already a passionate subscriber to Uppercase so no need to include me in the batch for the prize but I just wanted to drop in to say CONGRATS! Happy dance time!
And thank you for sharing your submission journey – it’s inspiring. I tend to sit on the sill, dreaming of being part of those communities I love, including Uppercase, but then never getting off my butt to submit. I LOVE that you didn’t even let yours touch the couch.
This is wonderful Meghan. It takes courage to be creative. kudos sista!
Congratulations, Meghan, on all of your successes this year. I loved this post and I also loved reading your post about having your self portrait hung at the Impossible Project Gallery. May you continue to have and celebrate your successes.
You’re an inspiration.
Super congrats!!!! You deserve it. And it looks great! Xoxo
You are so inspiring Meghan!!! I just purchased this issue and I so look forward to reading your piece. Congratulations on working and living your dream!!!!
xoxo
As always, you are so inspiring with your focused vision, your perseverance, and your beautiful, soulful work. Thank you for reminding all of us what is possible. I’m so happy for you, and can’t wait to head to the bookstore to pick up this issue of Uppercase! xo
What an achievement! Congrats to you and how inspiring that you followed your dream and made this happen.
wow…wow…wow!! saw your post on ig and had to come and check this out. the funny thing is that i literally just found this magazine yesterday and noticed that you had an article. “hmm…she writes for magazines, that’s so cool.” i thought to myself. it’s even cooler to read this and realize that was the realization of a big dream for you. so awesome. congratulations!
So proud, excited and inspired! It’s amazing to see you achieve so many milestones on your creative journey. Can you look up that art teacher and send her a copy of the magazine?
This is so cool! How amazing to be included in such a fantastic publication. I don’t have a subscription so I’ll have to go look for a copy locally. Congrats!
Rock on Meghan! Yay you!
This is so amazing! A million CONGRATS to you! xoxo
So happy for you. Just goes to show, hard work finds its reward!
Meghan….I am so very inspired by this story. I especially love how you balance your academic and creative life. A fine dance indeed…what lucky students!
Dabbling a bit with photography too these days. Realized I like the pictures of words I hand script as much as the word itself. xooxox
Proud of you….
i love love love your story! congratulations on trusting the process and seeing another dream come true. you amaze and inspire. I just let my subscription lapse, darn just as you were published. I’ll have to order a copy and renew!
Inspiring! Bravo! And I love UPPERCASE (but can’t afford it right now…)
[...] at Mortal Muses. You can read her story, Visioning UPPERCASE, about getting published on her blog here. Congratulations, Meghan! Keep up the good work and happy [...]
Hi Meghan, I recently discovered your blog and will be back to visit often. I think this is so great that you had a vision to get published in Uppercase and then followed through! As you say to your students, you have to submit your work in order to get published. Congrats!
Thank you for sharing your experience. You motivate me a lot to try to live my own creative dream, to believe in it and to really go for it (sooner or later…). I hope I will found the courage like you did. Greetings from Switzerland!
gotta love the way the universe works. congratulations.
x
karen
Meghan,
As usual, I’m late to the party. CONGRATULATIONS ARE NOW IN ORDER!!!!! Brava, sister, for doing your part to help the Universe help you manifest your dream! Can’t wait to get a copy and see for myself. Thank you for being inspiring to me!
xxxHill