Alone, together
A Lefty Smudges Daily Correspondence Project
Let me begin by sharing some of the words of the people who make this project happen as much as I do – those that I write to, and that write me back.
“The work is not a nostalgic turn to forgotten times; instead I see it as a committed approach to attend to the messy, entangled times we live in, both alone and together. I am grateful [Allyson] keeps showing up and inviting us into a heart and mind that is liminal and loving.” – Tammy, in an email
“I absolutely love sending and receiving letters to/from you! It’s one of my favourite parts of my life. It’s just different and exciting and that’s part of what i’m looking for. Thank you so much for this wonderful experience.” – Lindley, in a letter
“Your letters have brightened my days, brought many a smiles to my face and even given me a reason to believe further that we can connect as humans on a truly authentic and real way. With all the social media, lights and daily hussle, your letters allow me the time to slow down and be present. So thank you so much, truly.” – Beck, in a social media comment
Nothing about this is immediate.
As an experiment in generosity and in an attempt to build relationship I began ‘Alone, together’ in January of 2019, writing to one individual per day. With a mailing list that now includes 52 people, many of whom write me back, ‘Alone, together’ is a powerful tool to investigate relationship, language, loneliness, and what it takes to ‘keep in touch’ in our modern day lives.
As the artist, and as an individual woman, I honour the gift I have been given through this practice. To build relationship requires trust. That’s not an easy task, but alone, together we are doing it – one letter at a time.
CBC wrote this wonderful article about the project in March of 2019. The magic has only grown since then.
This project is currently closed to new participants, but if you head over to my Instagram account you can follow along, and see for yourself the kind of work I do.
