Today is the 5th of November, Guy Fawkes Day—a day that symbolizes freedom and resistance against oppression. It’s fitting that this falls the day after Election Day, where some states and cities flipped their legislation from Republican to Democratic. The current administration and its activities have awakened the people, and the elections showed this, which makes me hopeful.
When I started this blog, I had so much to share with you because I wanted you to understand the themes behind my artwork. I shared aspects of my personal life and interests while also discussing my struggles both in art and daily life. Over the past month, I’ve been reflecting on where I want this blog to go next year, as I feel I have said all I can about my personal ideologies and experiences. I don’t want to turn this blog into a journal; I want to maintain its focus on the artwork I create. It was important for me to share some aspects of myself in past posts so that you might understand my artistic expression. My tattooing has also found a place here, and I have some ideas for next year to shine a light on that side of my life as well.
With all that said, the way I post will change in the coming year. I won’t necessarily be posting once a month anymore—not in the same way, at least. I’ve loved that this blog has given me an outlet to practice writing, but as I mentioned, I’ve reached a point where I feel I’ve said all I can say, and I’m not interested in turning this into a self-reflective journal. Some of you know this about me, but I have been working on a story about my travels to Nepal in 2001. I’ll work on the story for a while, then set it aside and not touch it for months, sometimes even a year. I want to finish it and maybe try to publish it alongside some artwork related to the story in a book. By removing my commitment to blogging once a month and focusing on finishing the Nepal story, I might finally get it done and out there for you all. I feel I owe that to my beautiful friend who is part of this story and tragically committed suicide ten years after our adventure.
In other news, the tattoo industry has taken a hit due to the current situation in the country. People are not spending money with everyday expenses on the rise. What I offer is a luxury, and when people have difficulty spending on normal necessities like groceries and gas, they tend to cut out luxury expenses. I’m still okay, but I’m not overwhelmed like I was when I would book three months or more in advance. I’ve thought about posting my own unique tattoo designs once a month—things that I would like to create that are bigger than the standard “flash day style sheet.” When a design gets picked, it’s only used once, as I consider it a custom piece just for the client. Prices would be fixed unless, of course, the size is expanded or if the body location requires more time. This is still something I’m considering and not yet fully committed to making happen.
Lastly, I have been working on a new linoprint that I wanted to use for this year’s holiday card, but I was slightly delayed in completing it due to a busy schedule. I ran a test print but decided to cut more into the linoleum block. I’m currently waiting for the ink to fully dry so I can cut into it again. With time running out, I created a digitally drawn version for those of you who like using my cards as your seasonal greeting card. When I’m able to work on the traditional artwork, I’ll run a small edition to sell at the markets I attend. I love the digital drawing of this design, and I must say, I enjoy drawing digitally in general. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but the ease of working on it wherever and whenever I want makes a significant difference. The ability to use a wide array of tools for mark-making without needing to have all the tools on hand or waiting for things to dry and set is truly a game changer. I’ll still create traditional artworks too, but digitally rendering lifts my spirits when I can’t make time for the traditional way of creating. It’s all about creating and making, right?
About the Image:
Title: Veniunt, translated from Latin to English means, They Come.
Digitally rendered from an original drawing and linoleum block print on an IPad with an Ipencil.
Link to purchase, postcards, prints or framed prints is here, https://geogalleries.com/Nomadicalart/25402/1/ “artwork will list under Holidays and if viewing on 11/5/2025 and you do not see it listed wait 24 hours. GeoGalleries has a 12-24 delay time to add to the website even though I’ve already listed it.
