Sooo... I guess it's time to admit that I don't keep up with this blog at all anymore.  I'm going to leave it up for now as a portfolio and remember that I can always come back to it in the future if I want to. In the meantime, you can follow whatever creative pursuits I manage to squeeze into my busy schedule on Instagram and you can buy my stuff on Society6. 

What I've Been Up to Lately (Since last fall)

From Top Left: Embroidered moth (WIP), Winston Churchill as Batman, Cute Catwoman, Cute Poison Ivy, Joan of Arc, Dinosaur winter wreath, Elizabeth I (Center)

Once again, it's been a real long time since I updated this thing.  I've been pretty busy, which is a decent reason to not make stuff, but I have another one.  I'm disillusioned with art-for-money. For whatever reason, my work doesn't sell, even when I commit 50+ hours a week to it, and I've been feeling things about that.

So now I'm just going to draw and make what I want when I want to and stop worrying about why other people don't spend money on it.  In that spirit, let me tell you about the stuff I've drawn or made over the past few months that you can't buy, even if you want to.

The epic moth patch is beautiful so far.  I didn't realize how time-consuming it would be because I've never embroidered anything on this scale before.  When it's finished, I'm planning on sewing it onto a denim jacket.

Over the past few months have doodled Winston Churchill as Batman, Queen Elizabeth I, and Joan of Arc.  Joan is one of my faves because there are so few instances in history of teenage girls wielding power.  Elizabeth is also in my top ten favorite historical figures for her kick-assery.  Following the theme of powerful women in a different direction, I drew Catwoman and Poison Ivy in a kind of cutesy, pop culture context and am actually super into how Poison Ivy turned out.

The last thing in that photo collage is the wreath I made for Christmas and then left up until Valentines Day because I'm lazy and it never stopped being relevant.

What I've Been Up to Lately: Summer 2017, Part II

This is the second part of this post about all the things I drew and made over the summer while I wasn't blogging. The first part was last week.

What I've Been Up To Lately: Summer 2017, Part I

I haven't updated since May and I'm only kind of sorry about it.  I'm still making stuff and drawing, but the pace of production has slowed significantly.  

Sketchbook Round-Up: Volume 29

Mer-May! 

What I've Been Up To Lately: April 2017

Spoiler alert: It was drawing.

What I've Been Up To Lately: Spring Cleaning Edition

I recently cleaned out my workspace, getting rid of a bunch of stuff and reorganizing everything.  I also tackled my project list with an unprecedented focus and determination.

Lil Deer Hat

Fawna Hat pattern by Julia Belsante

I think I could fill my days making cute stuff for my tiny baby niece.  I also feel like my sister would endorse that venture.  She found a hat similar to this one on Pinterest and I hunted down a suitable pattern.

What I've Been Up To Lately: December 2016

I know it's been awhile, guys.

Sketchbook Round-Up: Volume 28

This was my fourth consecutive month of drawing challenges and the pattern of decreasing enthusiasm definitely continued.

Shenandoah Valley Street Art: Charlottesville

I finally got around to driving down to Charlottesville to take pictures of murals! I can't believe I did this so consistently last year.  Or maybe the fact that I did so many of these trips in such a short window of time is the reason I resist doing it now.  Who knows.

RVA Street Art: Miscellaneous Art and Outtakes

Every time I go to Richmond to take pictures, I find a bunch of new art that's not part of RVA Street Art Festival, Welcoming Walls, or The Richmond Mural Project .

RVA Street Art: Richmond Mural Project 2016

In July 2016, Art Whino returned to Richmond for its final round of The Richmond Mural Project, realizing their goal of 100 murals and helping to establish Richmond as a major art destination for tourists.

Unicorn

"Unicorn" Colored Pencil and Ink on Paper

The lovely ladies at White Willow Massage Therapy and Emporium asked me to draw a few things for them to sell as postcards, and this regal dude was the first one! The original and prints will be available soon in the Yeti Crafts shop, but you can already get products with this guy on them on Society6!

RVA Street Art: Street Art Festival 2016

In April 2016, the RVA Street Art Festival took on the old Southern States silos, transforming an iconic Richmond landmark into a work of collaborative art. They also threw what looked like a heck of a party! 

Sketchbook Round-Up: Volume 27

#drawlloween 

October was my third successful month of participating in drawing challenges, though less so than the two previous months since I had multiple missed days requiring catch-up. I broke away from #yayeveryday2016 and switched over to #drawlloween2016.

Punk Rock Squirrel Girl

Squirrel Girl and Tippy Toe

I was recently hired to draw a punk version of Marvel's Squirrel Girl and her little sidekick Tippy Toe.  The colored pencil really stands out on brown paper which ties into the whole woodland theme of the character.  Thanks for making my job so good, guys!

Roses Afghan

On September first I became an Auntie!

My baby niece was over a month early and her birthday present wasn't finished yet.  I had to hustle, but I had it finished by the time I visited her. 

I used this chart I found on Pinterest to create the roses with Loops and Threads Snuggly Wuggly Yarn that appeared to fade gracefully from pale to bright pink, but in reality it created pale pink roses and bright pink roses. There was no in between, and in a couple of them, you can see the hard transition.   The rest is basic granny square with a continuous join and a border.  

#YayEveryDay2016 Drawing Challenge - September

#YayEveryDay2016 's September Prompts

I decided to continue with Toby Oliver Dean's #YayEveryDay2016 drawing challenge into September after my success with it in August, and I'm pleased to tell you guys that I kept my perfect score!

#YayEveryDay2016 Drawing Challenge

Aug 31 - Telephone Call

 Unfortunately, I didn't hear about Toby Oliver Dean's #YayEveryDay2016 drawing challenge until Danny Brito provided the prompt list for August.  As I've mentioned on multiple occasions, I love a good daily challenge because of the community element (feedback and accountability), the structure (it's every single day), and the opportunity to push my boundaries (OPP - Other People's Prompts).