Thank Gnome it's Friday!!
Drawn for a dear friend I don't get to see very much.
So. Towards the end of last week, I'd been having a lot of trouble believing that the work I do has ANY impact. Is it even worth it, to draw something whimsical and give it to someone? To post it? Let alone larger projects - comics, stories? Is anyone looking? Does any of this actually DO anything at all, in the face of The Horrors? (And by The Horrors, I mean the genocides and poverty and active, violent racism and queerphobia, the likelihood that if this year's election goes a certain way, my rights as a person with a uterus and as a person in an LBGTQ+ marriage will be under threat, again - even more than they already are, even as bad as things already are under current management - the fact that the planet is burning, etc. etc. etc. On top of the fact that mainstream culture thinks art theft is perfectly okay and that stories only deserve to be told for a certain dollar sign and not the heart in them, so creators have to scrape by more than ever.)
In the moment, I didn't really have an answer for that. But I reached out for help, and I thought about where I really am and where I go for comfort, in the face of The Horrors. And one way or another, it's always, ALWAYS Story. And I looked at what other people do, I listened to others, and Story is pretty much always there. Art is always there.
As I've said before, Story connects us and lifts us up and shows us - or gets us to show ourselves - that we can strive to be better. How to be better. How to face The Horrors (uppercase). And make them the horrors (lowercase), instead, and then "that thing that we got through, and look at where we are now!"
I can't say that all that despair is past, but I know I'll feel even better the more I surround myself with the Light I am trying to bring forth (relatedly: I got into New York Faerie Fest again!!) - and keeping going is the only way I know how to get myself there, in order to bring that all forth for others, too, so we can all get to that space.
So yes. I may be on a roller coaster that brings moments of defeatistism at the moment, and The Horrors are still there, but..... onward 💗
Reminder: In recognition of current Earthen atrocities – all proceeds from any new pledges on my Patreon this month will be donated to UNICEF. (That's 3 more days people, and includes ALL pledge levels, including the print club!!) Information on all pledge levels here.
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Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!
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