A newsletter about exploring life's full range of colors
Hi, I’m Mari. I write Out of the Blue once a week. I start by saying to myself “I wonder…” and I write from there. The things I wonder about bounce from the shallow to the deep, the light to the dark, and all shades in between. Such as…
I wonder how a broken heart can go on
I wonder if there’s a purpose to pain
I wonder how to grieve a complicated person
I wonder how to make my space my own
I wonder what to do with my life
I wonder how to begin a relationship
Why Out of the Blue?
One, it’s a convenient color-related idiom and I’m a part-time watercolor illustrator who dresses and decorates and lives with every hue available to me.
Second, I plan to cover the vast range of topics that appeal to, interest, and amuse me: it’s going to feel random and messy because it is random and messy! What will come out of the blue might be a subject I’ve been thinking about for decades, or a thought that just found its way into my perplexed little head.
And finally, for most of my life I’ve leaned into my natural melancholy, fancying myself as a sort of Victorian poet who’s full of ennui. I’ve kept every hardship or setback very close to the forefront of my emotional landscape, and too frequently defined myself by my wounds. Through writing, I can reach out of the blue place and into the sunshine. I believe that both light and shadows have so much to teach us, but after years of being plagued by loneliness and mental health issues, I choose to be joyful. Join me here?
I will write a weekly(ish) essay, and that will always be free!
Why pay?
Whether you pay or not, I really appreciate you subscribing either way! If you’d like to become a patron of the arts and update your subscription, here’s what you’ll get…
Blue Notes:
For paying subscribers, I’ll send at least two Blue Notes a month, which are more personal updates (the juicy gossip), plus Recommendations of the Month!
Grey Area:
Join me as I experiment with some new ways to use this newsletter (audio? video? live chats? more???). Paying subscribers are invited to come along on this journey of discovery, and highly encouraged to offer feedback during the process!
Who is she?!
I’m Mari Andrew, a bestselling author, artist, and speaker. I make art and write essays from my own experiences, in an effort to help you feel a bit less alone.
I’m in the business of paying attention, and my work reflects my specific observations turned into universal life lessons (I hope?!). My friend Suleika Jaouad says, “At each turn, Mari uncovers hard-earned coins of wisdom in the most unlikely places.” Nice!
I didn’t formally study writing or art, but my fabulously strange life path filled with stints in food service and retail, working multiple jobs in foreign countries, profound grief and heartbreak, mental health struggles, lots of solo travels, a stint as a hospital chaplain, and a very odd serious disease, has prepared me well for a lifetime of appreciating and documenting each moment with equal attentiveness. That’s pretty much my only skill. Well I’m also good at knowing what time it is without looking.
I live in New York City with my senior rescue cat Sunflower. You can also find me on Instagram or on the bookshelf!
