Welcome to My Little Corner of the Internet

In a world that moves too fast, where algorithms decide what we see and deadlines dictate how we create, I wanted to carve out a space just for me—and maybe for you too. This blog is a slow, creative breath in a fast-paced digital age.

I’m inspired by music, art, and the messy in-between—where a song lyric sparks a painting, a playlist fuels a photo shoot or a collage turns into a daydream. Here, I’ll take you along as I explore creativity through music-inspired challenges, mood board experiments, and spontaneous artistic projects.

This isn’t about perfection or productivity. It’s about finding joy in creating, just for the sake of it. So, if you’re craving a little more freedom, a little more inspiration, and maybe a reminder that creativity can be an escape—stick around.

Let’s make something beautiful, together.

Challenge 1: Music → Moodboard → Art

Listen. Spend 15 minutes immersed in my Sunday morning Spotify Daylist. Let the lyrics wash over me, paying attention to the emotions they stir.

Visualize. Another 15 minutes on Pinterest, curating a collage of new and saved Pins—images that mirror the way this playlist makes me feel.

Create. Channel that energy into something tangible—a painting, a photoshoot concept, maybe even a tiny clay sculpture. Not for a school assignment. Not for a commission. Just for me.

Okay—step one, two, and three? Complete. Let’s chat about it.

I made a collage inspired by my Spotify Daylist—a playlist that shifts with my listening habits.

This Sunday’s vibe?

“Happy Indie Hipster Sunday Morning.”

And honestly? I felt that.
Even if I don’t know what twee or microcore are.

The playlist included "Trouble" by Cage the Elephant, "Silver Lining" by Mt. Joy, "All These Things That I’ve Done" by The Killers, and the ones you see in the screenshot.

I’m always inspired by art and music—finding meaning in lyrics and translating them into something visual fuels my creativity.

This Sunday’s playlist put me in a

“let me run in a grassy field with nothing but mountains or the ocean on the horizon” mood.

The kind of feeling "Time to Pretend" by MGMT evokes—it’s all fuck the man, let’s escape, let’s live.

Except... it’s February 2nd, and I’m in Canada. The windchill is -30°C. Whatever, let’s jump into our imaginations.

***Happy Indie Hipster - Fated to Pretend*** - Aly Gray
*Images sourced from Pinterest*

If you scrolled past too fast, you missed the point.

Come on, back up—take it all in.

Which image catches your eye?

Do you love it? Hate it? How does it make you feel?

For me? It feels like

freedom.

Wonder.

Adventure.

Childhood.

Rebellion.

Some lyrics from Time to Pretend hit hard:

"This is our decision to live fast and die young
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun
Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do?
Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute?"

Art is subjective, but to me, this song speaks to the illusion of free will in modern life. No matter what choices we make, we’re all born into a system that’s already mapped out for us. And I feel that. Not in a heavy, hopeless way—but in a Fine, if I can’t physically escape, I’ll create my own dreamy escape kind of way.

That vision turned into a painting
It’s still a work in progress, but I’ll update when (if?) I finish it.
Three friends—bald, but who doesn’t know three bald friends?—are sitting in the long, soft grass, perched on a hilltop. Above them stretches a vast blue sky, while below, the ocean extends endlessly.

In my dreamy escape, life is slower, softer, and far more barefoot. I wake up to golden sunlight spilling through sheer curtains, the air thick with the scent of lavender and damp earth. Outside, my garden is wild but intentional—sunflowers towering over tomato vines, bees bumbling lazily from bloom to bloom. There’s a rickety wooden table in the middle of it all, perpetually scattered with half-finished paintings, clay-stained rags, and maybe a cup of coffee I forgot about (twice).

My art studio? A converted barn, of course. Paint splattered across the floor, shelves stacked high with sketchbooks, and a record player spinning something acoustic and slightly pretentious. Maybe The Lumineers, maybe a vinyl I found in a thrift store that just feels right. I spend my days here, creating for no one but myself, lost in color and form.

And when I need a break? I run barefoot through my own damn field, because if I can’t escape the world, I can at least build a little pocket of it where I feel free.

Reality? I’m here, in the cold, with WiFi. But dreams? Dreams are already painting themselves into existence.

I love my life, but sometimes I feel out of control. Through this process, I’ve taken some of that control back.
This was cathartic. Thanks for sticking around if you’re still here. I’ll see you next Sunday to create, explore, and listen.
—Until then, dream a little dreamy escape.
Love, Aly

Fated to Pretend