Art Dump — January 2026

I’m back. Remember when I alleged that I would do these once a month? Heh.

I got all-consumed by querying this autumn (still an ongoing process) and dropped off the face of substack. A veritable tragedy for my 27 subscribers. I applaud you all for the strength you had to exhibit to get through your fall without an email from me in your inbox.

Now it is winter and DC has been consumed by snow and ice. More specifically, several inches of ice compacting several inches of snow, which created what the kids are calling “snow-crete.” It is allegedly difficult to shovel, although I wouldn’t know, having made Josh do literal heavy lifting.

In My Sketchbook

I’ve been surprisingly consistent in my more ‘polished’ sketchbook as I document my weeks with tiny doodles. It’s a good exercise in getting something down quick, as well as forcing me to reflect on what exactly I did with my days.

Meanwhile, things are not so neat in my mess of a sketchbook. Or should I say ‘my mess of a wall?’

As you can see, I’ve taken to pinning up some satisfactory sketches of the project I’m querying. This is both to ensure a consistent visual flow as well as be a tangible checklist. Many of these are collaged and torn and over-erased; frankensketches that will hopefully give birth to beautiful final pieces.

On My Desk

I am currently working on a painting that I’m calling “migration.” It’s basically just a reflection on the current kidnapping and detaining of human beings across the United States. Migration is such a natural thing, while borders are man-made constructs.

I’m hoping to do several more small monarch-people, cut them out, and paint a background for them to be flying over. I’m not sure why I decided to make this a cut paper kind of project, as it is something I’m not comfortable with at all, but sometimes the art just tells you what it will be and you have to go along with it.

Of course, there are some personal easter eggs, one being this tiny Welsh lady! My great grandmother on my father’s side immigrated from Wales when she was young, and my father has kept excellent records of that line in our family tree.

I hope to do some sort of fundraising when this painting is finished, either auctioning it off or selling charity prints or something. If you have ideas, please let me know!

Scanned and Saved

Books of 2025

I like to do a little painting to go with my “Favorite Books of” blogs, and this year I decided to make one that encompassed a lot of the stories I enjoyed over 2025.

After piecemeal-ing together some sketches, I got a wild whim to try and do this painting with regular gouache. For reference, my medium of choice is acrylic gouache. “What is the difference?” you ask, to which I reply, “that is an entirely different blog post.”

It was not my finest hour.

I let myself be grumbly about it for a bit and then went back to the literal drawing board to try again.

Overall, I’m not unhappy about it! I included some metallic elements, which never show up well on a scan, but we must not make artistic decisions that hinge on whether or not things will look good online.

A personal piece

Sometimes you start a painting in September, go to Indonesia, buy a condo, move, query a novel, and then remember you started a painting in September and finish it in January.

Here’s where I left her when Josh and I left for SE Asia. And here she stayed for 4ish months.

The depths of winter are a good time to pull out the things that most excite you. This is a personal project that goes a long with a story that has been fermenting in my brain for five years. It is nowhere near close to being safe for consumption. But I love it all the same.

Because the story takes place in a medieval-esque setting, I looked to a lot of medieval art for inspiration. I have always loved the weird flatness of medieval art and wanted to incorporate that into the piece; both in the three ‘windows’ and especially in the border. I also wanted a very limited, very basic color palette, and ended up using a ton of yellow (my personal nemesis).

Ultimately, I love it (even if it is very yellow). It might not appeal to everyone and it’s not perfect, but it appeals to me! I think it says “there’s a story here!”

January Reads

I read a lot of books this January because what else are you supposed to do in Januaries? I probably could have read more HOWEVER there were many subjects on which to doom-scroll.

My favorites were Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow and the first and second Emma M. Lion books by Beth Brower. I actually loved Emma M Lion so much that I dug out my dip pens and ink and had to do some art. I don’t generally love working with dip pens but the vibes insisted. Beth Brower if you read this, please let me do the Emma M Lion illustrated editions.

I also don’t usually plug other media but Josh and I watched Wake Up Dead Man a few weeks ago after the NY rush and gosh was it wonderful. I love Josh O’Connor and I need at least 20 more Knives Out movies.

Other January Things

Did you guys know that we’re running out of water???

Because we are!

The UN reports that the earth has entered an era of water bankruptcy, aka, we are using our freshwater sources far faster than they can replenish. Rising temperatures (thanks to big oil’s climate crisis) also impact the water cycle.

I honestly don’t know what the solution is. Or if there is one. What sucks even more is that countries with the least environmental impact will likely be the ones most affected.

This report comes on the heels of horrid news from across the world and on American soil. Trump has changed measurement standards in the EPA, no longer looking at environmental costs to human life but rather how much regulations will cost companies. ICE is killing and kidnapping people at an alarming rate. The rich continue to get richer. AI is taking all our fresh water and burning our brains. And don’t even get me started on the Epstein files. And how seemingly no one cares or wants to hold our pedophilic president accountable.

I am negative by nature. I know this. But things feel bleak. And I feel adrift and lonely, wondering if anyone is feeling the same weight. I suppose that’s why I write it all out. In hope that if someone else is seeing and feeling the pain, that they will know they aren’t the only ones.

I have decided that if (when) I am going to complain, I must also list somethings I am thankful for. They are, in no particular order:

1.) The metro was up and running ASAP this week, even with the snow + ice storm DC had.

2.) Josh and I went walking last Sunday, right as the snow transitioned into tiny pellets of sleet. They made the most beautiful music as they hit dry branches and dead leaves, like the sound a heavy rain make but more magical.

3.) A few years ago, when I was in Iceland, I lamented to my friend Jahanna that I wanted a Traditional Icelandic Wool Knit Something, but it was all very expensive and we were at the tail end of our trip (i.e. funds were nonexistent). She told me to pick out some Traditional Icelandic Wool and she would crochet me a hat and she did and as DC has plunged into its deep winter freeze, I am grateful for such a trusty toboggan.

4.) A friend hosted a book exchange / white elephant to ring in the new year. We talked highs and lows of our 2025 reads and unwrapped many a good novel.

5.) I joined a yoga studio. I am regularly the worst one in class. But my lower back is singing in gratitude.

ok, bye!

If you made it to the end… that’s crazy. Thanks for sticking around. I’m going to try and be more consistent this year, but no covenantal promises. My desk is still messy, but I’m going to leave you with this poem instead, because it moved something in me.

Yes, That’s When
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

I like my body when I’m in the woods

and I forget my body. I forget that arms,

that legs, that nose. I forget that waist,

that nerve, that skin. And I aspen. I mountain.

I river. I stone. I leaf. I path. I flower.

I like when I evergreen, current and berry.

I like when I mushroom, avalanche, cliff.

And everything is yes then, and everything

new: wild iris, duff, waterfall, dew.

Actually, I lied. I will leave you with a picture of my desk. Notably featuring my cat, who very much knows that she is not allowed on said desk.