Inspired and Encouraged

I discovered Suleika Jaouad and The Isolation Journals right around the time I was diagnosed with breast cancer. During my three week daily drive to radiation, I listened to Between Two Kingdoms, and Suleika’s words helped me look for the positive, be courageous, keep moving forward, and stay focused on healing.

Joining The Isolation Journals online was another gift. Through the prompts, the 100-Day Project, the various 30-day challenges, and all the wonderful people I met along the way, I rediscovered my love of making art — something that had basically been asleep since high school. And let’s just say I graduated sometime after Woodstock.

The January 2026 challenge, helped me keep creating at a time when the world was feeling especially bleak. I’m still part of The Isolation Journals today. I don’t always post, but I’m always connected to this fabulous, creative community.

Somehow, all that encouragement led me back to clay, paint, and the artist I had apparently been hiding for quite a few decades. It reminded me that creativity doesn’t disappear; sometimes it simply waits for the right people, the right prompts, and the right moment to come back to life.

This is also a huge shout-out to my BFF Sally for putting this website together and helping me share it all — and to my friends, family and everyone in The Isolation Journals community who helped me find my way back to art.

And if you’re not following @lentilbatiste on Instagram, you are really missing something!