Art Dump - June 2025

In an effort to slowly move my art / photos / life(?) away from instagram, I’ve decided to start doing monthly art dumps here and on substack. I’m pretty unhappy with the photo scraping instagram does, and VERY unhappy with the whole instagram-feeding-the-photos-they -scraped-to-their-AI thing, so I’ve been wanting to move away from the platform for a while now.

It sucks, especially since so many artists that I love and admire were able to use instagram as a helpful base to jump-start their careers. For a long while, I hoped that this could be the case for my work, but instagram is a different beast than it was 5-10 years ago. I feel like it’s so difficult to see posts from people I actually follow, and every other story is just an inserted ad. The rampant use of AI on there is discouraging as well. So even though it hosts millions of profiles, it really doesn’t seem worth keeping up with anymore.

Besides, thousands of successful authors and illustrators managed to tell their stories without the use of social media. I don’t need to post on IG to make art.

I don’t need to post on substack / my blerg either, but I do think there’s something lovely about tracking people’s art and watching paintings progress, so I figured that monthly dumps would be a.) manageable for me to make, and b.) fun to put together!

In my sketchbooks

I have two sketchbooks— one that I can paint in and try to keep neat, and one that is an absolute mess. I shall always endeavor to share from both, lest you get them impression that I only ever sketch neatly.

In true to me fashion, I have personified my garden. If you live in DC and want some zucchini plants PLEASE let me give you some before they take over my garden.

We’ve been playing more dnd which means of course I’m doodling characters. My friends are very kind to put up with my shoddy dm-ing. If you see any misspellings I invite you to kindly mind your own business— I am wretched without spellcheck to help me and also who can actually spell ‘Aarakocra’ off the top of their head? I mean, probably Brennan Lee Mulligan, but who else?

I’m working on a Maybe Happy Ending piece which has early concepts living in both sketchbooks. I’ve followed this little musical for almost a year now and am so happy that it just won Best Musical at the Tonys! Thankfully I got to see it this winter and did not have to pay Best Musical prices (but good for them for cashing in!).

I am gearing up to query my middle grade novel this fall (gross and vulnerable to admit! Ugh!) so I’m not only buckling down on editing, but also doing a good bit of illustrating. Here’s a piecemealed sketch I don’t hate! I cannot remember why I ended up tacking this onto the top— I think because I started too high on the page?

On my desk

This is the in-progress section— basically the awkward puberty of the art process.

Here’s some early illustration testing for my MG novel. These are done in regular gouache and lined in black colored pencil. I need to test out one more paper weight, but I think I’ll be sticking with my tried and true hot press bristol, which is a smooth paper without any tooth. I don’t know why, but I just HATE tooth on my paper.

Not technically on my actual desk but I did get a new scanner! I named her Lady Scanber after Amber from The Liveship Traders. Her first scans made me weep with their crispiness. Major thanks to Sean Rubin for recommending the make and model!

Scanned and saved

These are my finished pieces from this month! This is a category that ebbs and flows— sometimes I’ll complete several paintings, sometimes I’ll finish none.

KEEP PUBLIC LAND IN PUBLIC HANDS

If you can remember way back in April, amongst the many piles of bs this administration has produced so far, one ruling allows for logging companies to start tearing down trees on public lands. It should be noted that Trump’s appointed head of forestry does in fact own a logging company. In another time, this blatant conflict of interests might spark some level of concern amongst the nation. However, constant bombardment of constitutional rights has pushed a lot of climate injustice to the sidelines. I know that for years, climate hasn’t seemed like an immediate concern, but we are rapidly approaching a level of climate change that will lead to mass casualties, famine, and water shortages.

“When the last tree is cut, the last river poisoned, and the last fish dead, we will discover that we can’t eat money.”

After researching, I’m still not sure which tribe to attribute this quote to. Many sources cite it back to the Nehinaw, Indigenous American based in the Great Lakes and Canada. Others trace it back to Alanis Obomsawin, an Abenaki filmmaker from New Hampshire. Regardless of origin, the quote rings with resounding truth. We simply can’t afford to cut down large swaths of our forests. All for what? Cheap furniture? Hastily built “luxury” apartments? Farmland to stuff animals on until they’re big enough to slaughter? When will enough be enough? Will my children and my children’s children forgive us for the way we have destroyed their home?

Anyways, that big bs bill that passed the house contains legislation which will allow the government to sell YOUR LANDS! Once all this public land is gone, it’s not coming back! There are many reasons this bill should not be allowed to pass the Senate. The sale of public lands is a big one. I encourage you to call your representatives and remind them that YOU PAID FOR THIS LAND! They don’t get to sell it off to some private buyer! It was already reported that public pressure made Republicans strike the sale of public land from the bill, but unfortunately it’s been snuck back in. BUT that does mean that pressure works!

I currently live in DC so I really have no representation, but I call Senators from NC, which is where I grew up. I’ve voted in NC from 2016-2024 so even though I didn’t vote for either of the Senators that were elected, I’m still gonna make sure they get my opinion because they were on my ballot!

June Reads

I have no idea why I read so much this month. I think it’s because I was nannying a lot. Anyways, my favorites from June are starred.

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest - Aubrey Hartman *

The Fifth Season - N.K. Jemisin

Max in the Land of Lies - Adam Gidwitz

The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley

Parable of the Sower - Octavia E. Butler

Parable of the Talents - Octavia E. Butler

Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie *

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Grace Lin

Continental Drifter - Kathy MacLeod *

Please tell me what you read this June! I love recommendations and talking books!

Other June things

I’m thoroughly enjoying the new season of Dimension 20. Cloudward Ho! is fun and steampunk and I’m very excited to see where our PCs and DM go next! I’m also love LOVING the new season (or series) of Taskmaster. This year’s contestants are golden and have me gasping for air constantly. In the midst of so much doom and gloom, I’m grateful for the people who make things that make us laugh.

Ok bye!

In conclusion that’s it! We’ll see if I’m actually able to keep up with this monthly dump thing. Maybe I need to call it something different because it kind of just sounds like I’m pooping art. But also most of what I make feels like poop soooooo…

Ok bye!