THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE

An update from Leslie Lindsay

Writer + Artist

direct descendant of Adair County, Kentucky

WE ALL HAVE A STORY.

WHAT'S YOURS?

One Woman. One Photograph.

A Trail of Questions.

✨Uncovering Cora Bell: Art, memory, and a fresh look at my newsletter

Hi There!

Whether you have been reading my updates for years or you just recently found your way to my corner of the internet, I am incredibly grateful to have you here in this community of 1,100+ fellow memory-keepers, artists, and story-gatherers.

Today, things look a little different. You are receiving this because you previously followed my creative journey, but today marks a beautiful evolution. I am thrilled to officially welcome you to This Is Where We Live.

CHICAGO-BASED, SOUTHERN-ROOTED.

Why the change?

I do a lot of creative things—writing, photography, historical archiving, and fine art—but I realized they are all profoundly interconnected.

My writing is about my ancestors, my art is informed by my writing, and my photography captures the soul of it all.

Everything stems from a deep obsession with home, legacy, and the imprints of our past—a journey that sparked when I began unearthing the life of my Kentucky-born great-grandmother, Cora Bell Compton.

To honor how these mediums overlap, I've brought everything together under a single name: This Is Where We Live

What you can look forward to in your inbox:

Behind-the-Scenes Access: Watch the raw process of building my upcoming solo art installation and living exhibit at Lindsey Wilson University's Begley Gallery.

Book Progress: Excerpts, cover reveals, and the emotional journey of bringing the This Is Where We Live manuscript to print.

Art & Prompts: Regular dispatches on photography, vintage finds, and uncovering family history to inspire your own connection to memory.

A Gift to Welcome Everyone Back:

To celebrate this fresh start, I want to help you uncover the magic and art in your own family history. I’ve put together a set of eye-catching, printable handouts created right in my studio.

Inside this Complimentary Heritage Discovery Kit, you'll find:

The Archive Guide:A clear roadmap on exactly what to research in person (like local courthouses and physical archives) vs. what you can dig up online.
Creative Prompts:Artistic writing and reflection prompts to help you document the stories of your own lineage.
The Collage Blueprint:Visual inspiration to help you turn old family photographs and memories into meaningful physical art.

Click here to download your FREE Heritage Discovery Kit

One quick favor: To ensure my future visual dispatches actually land in your main inbox (and not the dark abyss of the spam or promo folder), please hit reply to this email and type a quick "I'm here!" or drag this email to your Primary tab.

Thank you for walking this creative path with me. Keep an eye out for our very first official edition under the new name later this month!

With gratitude and ink-stained fingers,

Leslie Lindsay
Artist & Writer, This Is Where We Live

There's a Place for You Here

A Touch of Local Connection:

If you're in Illinois, pop into my local vintage artisan shop at Hudson Design House | This Is Where We Live in downtown Oswego, 74-76 Main Street.

I'll also be representing OCWW (Off-Campus Writer's Workshop) at the Printer's Row Literary Festival in downtown Chicago Saturday, September 12, 2026. Admission is FREE.

Maybe you're in or Kentucky (where Cora Bell's legacy resides)? Consider attending one of three (3) September 2026 Porch Portrait Pop-Ups* where you can have your photo taken (no charge, no sign up) for the upcoming THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE exhibit Spring 2027 at Lindsey Wilson University.

Exhibit Dates are March 1-April 9 2027.
Plan now to have your portrait included.* See images below for specifics.

These are just two ways you're invited to engage with the project—hope to see you around!