November Monthly Newsletter 🌽🍽️🍂

Please imagine that when you opened this, the smell of cooking food and rosemary wafted into the room, along with the warm familiar feeling of being around someone you trust and care for. Welcome to November!

Here's your monthly ambiance video to put on in the background if you wish. ;-)

I have been writing bits and pieces of this to you over the course of the past month, instead of doing it all in one sitting like usual. I hope that it doesn't feel too disjointed because of this, but there were so many things I wanted to tell you about as soon as they happened so that I did not forget the feeling. My October was productive, business-focused, fast-paced and, in one word: bold. I cannot say this for every month. I wonder, did you feel this too? I'll go into it more in a bit.

I hope my friends in the US are voting! I'm going on my state's voting day, on Nov. 3rd. That's it for my politics section. A whole two sentences. 

As I stated earlier in the month, I'm thinking of you. Now that we're in our third month of this whole thing, I'm starting to get into a rhythm with it. Are you guys still enjoying it? I'd like to check in and see what more I can provide for this space. 

I'm working on saving up to get a nice camera, tripod and mic so that video content can be more common (and easier). Currently, it's fairly difficult with my iphone 8 and half-broken $12 tiny tripod. I am a slave to Adobe unfortunately and am now paying for the Premiere Pro subscription...that's my one not-so-primitive tool when it comes to my video process.

Anywho, let's talk about that boldness I mentioned earlier, shall we?

October was a month of unexpected opportunities, bold decisions and zealous (perhaps) over-confidence. It felt empowering for me, and I did some things I normally would have been to scared to do. What about you? I'd love to hear about any bold moves that you made last month. I am not exactly into or educated about astrology but maybe it was just something about ~Scorpio Season~ that made me feel a little unhinged. Unhinged in the best way possible. 

I'm going to get personal with you. Hold on tight. I swear this will tie into inspirations.

I am indeed an extrovert, but something that combats that frequently is my anxiety. I absolutely have the desire to approach certain people, whether it be because I am interested in them, or need to confront them. But doing it is another thing. What if they think it's absolutely horrible, and I make them uncomfortable? Something in me this month (perhaps too many missed connections with regrets) just decided to say fuck it. I approached strangers if I wanted to talk to them. My heart would race and I couldn't feel my feet, but I just went for it. I figured "I would think it was extremely cool if a stranger respectfully and creatively expressed their interest in me", and that others might feel the same (but we're all too shy to make the first move). 

For example. I was trying to find parking in a small lot when I made eye contact with someone in a Green Jeep. I thought they were good looking, and it seemed they felt the same about me--because it was really some eye contact . They pulled out of the lot eventually to go find parking elsewhere, and I didn't see them again. However, after returning to my car a few hours later, I noticed that in the lot...was a green jeep. I had no idea if this was THE Green Jeep but I decided to go ahead and try my luck. Pre-October Jamie wouldn't have dared. And then I would have thought about it all night. So I scribbled a note on the only surface I had: a torn piece of a brown paper bag, and I tucked it under the windshield wiper. Here is said note:

I know, it's pretty cheesy. Let me have this moment. 

Here's the best part: many hours later, after I could have sworn I must have had the wrong car, and I decided the note was definitely in the hands of some soccer mom, I got a text.

It was from the person in the green jeep. Yup, the correct one. I had gotten it right after all--and they loved the note. 

I hate to ruin this story, but I'm going to. Because after texting with this person for a while, I do not really see us being compatible. BUT HEY...I wouldn't have ever known that at all if I had not taken the chance! I'm glad I did it, no matter what. 

And then I did it again. Are you ready for this? I pulled the same shit again, in a different way. There was someone in the cafe I was working on some stuff at--they were also working (Not on art like me, maybe some school work). Once again, repeated eye contact. And do they EVER do anything about it? No, of course not. It's up to me. The domineering yet anxious ENTJ . So I decide to airdrop them something. I knew it was their phone because I had heard their name called for their coffee order. Here's what that looked like:

And you wanna know what? They declined the airdrop request without opening the image. HA. They either thought it was a mistake or did not want it. Definitely not ideal. But, I can say that I made an attempt. Maybe my boldness is a little nuts.

Let me explain how to fits into the interests and inspirations category. I think my own boldness and desire to take the reins of my romantic life inspired some much needed confidence. I felt that I had control over my life--that I was adult enough--and that I knew what I deserved. It affected every area of my life, including my artistic and career endeavors!

Some other inspiring things from October:

Snotgirl, Looking back to the past and being inspired by my middle school self (specifically taking the cringe and turning it into "wow! I have evolved a lot but what a funny kid I was!"), MØ's Forever Neverland album, SEVENTEEN's music videos (the kpop boy group--my friend Ren gave me an introductory crash course on them), talking to random people in coffee shops, The Japanese House song called Saw You In a Dream, this live performance of Andalucia by Andrew Bird, driving on mountain roads on chilly cloudy days, my three new houseplants, and rearranging my living room slightly. 

Earlier when I spoke about unexpected opportunities, I was referring specifically to the fact that I am being considered for two very large book projects via my agent, and a couple other smaller ones. Let's talk about the reason why I say "considered" rather than knowing I've got the job right away. 

How it tends to works is someone from the publishing company will see your work, and contact you or your agent (if you have an agent) saying "I think this artist's work would fit the project, are they interested?" with a brief summary of the project at hand. If the answer is yes, the next step is making up some samples. (I literally didn't know how all this worked until just this month!) The artist makes some samples up based on the materials given--sometimes the full story, sometimes some character descriptions, or a specific scene called out by the publisher. Samples can look like character sheets, full page mock-ups, or sketches of various scenes. From there, if all goes well, the artist signs the contract and is officially hired! 

Although I cannot talk about specifics or share any art, I can say that I have been working on samples for multiple things throughout the whole month of October--nonstop. Fingers crossed! 

I just turned in some samples for a manuscript I love with my whole heart and would love to be the confirmed illustrator for the project. I worked on it with a passion and my agent seemed to see that! He and I are both hoping the client loves it too. It's one of those projects where I feel like I am making fanart for the characters, rather than designing them because I loved reading about them so much and getting to know them. That's all I can say for now--maybe you'll see what I'm talking about in 2022! 

I announced last month that I am working on a picture book version of Anne of Green Gables. Originally I thought I would have to sign an NDA for this, but I suppose that because the publisher is small, and working on multiple re-illustrated classics, they aren't being too secretive about the projects. I obviously won't be able to share full illustrations from the book that I am working on, but I'm glad I was able to share one of the samples on my instagram. Here's the full character page of just Anne. 

As for my creative personal life (opposed to creative business life), I talk a lot about this both in my podcast and this month's secret sketches post, but it's been tricky to make time for it. Late at night is when I'll end up scribbling some things on my ipad that I don't really show anyone or end up doing anything with. It's certainly not stuff worth posting on my main social media, but I did throw some of it in my secret sketches post! 

I feel an obligation to social media and showing up. I owe a lot to the online community, or at least I feel like I do. It has provided me with a platform that has lead to some amazing things, so I consider it to be another facet of my profession. Some people may understandably view this obligation to social media as unhealthy or as pressure, but I have grown to a point where I understand that it is just like showing up for work. You cannot just take off of work for weeks without warning anyone. There are consequences for that. And showing up and being active on my social media or the lack of doing so also has consequences, though they may look different. Don't get me wrong...I want to crawl into the woods, go off the grid, raise chickens and never tell anyone about it sometimes. But at this point in my career, I am here. I am present, and I plan to stay present!

Let me leave you with this:

I did four interviews this month with college art students. Usually (and I did this too) art students are required to interview a professional working in the industry and write a report or periodical about the interview. It helps artists to practice their professionalism and interview skills as well as get advice from someone who has some experience! I did a few of these while I was in college still--apparently some teachers allowed freshmen to ask juniors/seniors to interview as well. But now that I am viewed as a "professional"...hell, what a crazy thing to say. I am a freelance illustrator, working in the industry, right out of art school. I'm unaware of this fact most of the time, until I do interviews with students or introduce myself as HAVING A CAREER. What!! 

My point is that I never thought this would be a given. I was extremely anxious all throughout college, especially my senior year. The goal is always, of course, to do something with your degree, but I had so much fear that I wouldn't be able to figure it out or make a decision. There wasn't one moment when I woke up and realized I had "made it", nor do I think I have necessarily done that. There was no hard switch. It was more as if I had planted seeds throughout my entire life, tended to them in college, and have been watching them slowly sprout as a young adult on my own.

I hope your November is spectacular. Let me know what you are grateful for. Let's grow like crazy this month! Love ya!

-JG